Do you not have a Psychology degree?”, “Are you not a teacher or a professor?”, “Do you not have career counselling experience?”
If your answer to the above questions is ‘Yes’, and you think that you cannot be a career coach, you are highly mistaken because these are myths that are so prevalent around the career coaching landscape in our country. These are myths that have held back so many talented and skilled individuals from pursuing a profession in career coaching.
It’s time we bust these false bubbles and throw some light to this profession as a career option. The fact is that India is in dire need of adequate career coaches, with the current deficit standing at 1.5 million. This has already led to over 30 million students directionless at crossroads, where they have been confined to a handful of career choices. It is due to this why a career coach is so important and we cannot have these myths hindering us.
In order to bust these myths, we need to be clear in our understanding of who a career coach is or what is it that they do.
“A Career Coach is not only a guide and mentor but someone who helps Define, Re-Define, and achieve professional goals and success. They are someone, who will not only uplift you to a successful career but also help you build your soft skills and help you get clarity in terms of your career objectives. They are your mentor and your guide, who will push you towards success.”
The myths that we are looking to bust in this blog are:
- A background in Psychology is needed to become a Career Coach
- There is an Age-bucket to be a Career Coach
- The Career Coach chooses your career goals for you
- Career Coaching is something meant for Tier-1 cities only
- Career coaching is not needed. They only tell you what can be found on Google.
Myth 1- A background in Psychology is needed to become a Career Coach.
This is one of the most prevalent myths in the country when one thinks about the career coaching space from a professional point of view. The notion that a psychology degree or knowledge is essential to become a successful career coach is completely false, and one that is not based on facts.
What is required to be a great career coach are skills such as:-
- The ability to motivate and inspire individuals
- Strong interpersonal skills and respect for people across all walks of life
- The ability to listen and analyze your client’s career difficulties and confusion
- Able to set realistic goals and the ability to evaluate their performance without bias
The list is a long one, and nowhere on that list is mentioned that having a degree in psychology is a requisite. So don’t let that be an obstacle between you and your desire to be a career coach, and helping people make critical career choices.
Myth 2- There is an Age-bucket to be a Career Coach
More often we are led to believe that there is an upper and lower age bound when it comes to becoming a career coach. This is the second myth that needs to be busted. The truth is that age is not a criterion for becoming a career coach, and as the saying goes – ‘it is just a number.’
We hear from so many potential individuals who are afraid they are “too young” to be taken seriously as coaches. On the other end of the spectrum, we also hear from older people who are nervous about being seen as irrelevant and out of touch with current society.
Truthfully, age is one of the least important factors when deciding whether to enroll in a career coach certification—for a number of reasons such as:-
- Age is only a number, and it has very little to do with your life choices, or the experiences you have gained, or define your passion.
- Career coaches can be of any and all ages. There is a wide range of ages within the career coaching profession and those using coaching skills within their organizations—from as young as people in their 20s to end-of-careerists.
- Your age might be the perfect factor for your ideal client. A young career coach could leverage that and target corporates in helping them understand the mindset of the young employees, while an older career coach could bring in the priceless experience they have gathered in their lifetime.
Ultimately, age is not a good indicator of your passion and ability to help others. To learn more about this and upskill yourself, you can be a part of Mindler’s ICCC Program for free, designed for people across all ages, helping them achieve their dream of becoming a great career coach.
Myth 3- The Career Coach chooses your career goals for you
One thing that needs to be made very clear is that a Career Coach is not someone who is going to select a career for you or make the choices for you. They are NOT going to choose your professional goals for you, because that is not what a career coach does.
It is important not to confuse the responsibilities of a career coach, and have clear expectations from them. A career coach is someone who is well versed and skilled in crafting resumes, career planning, motivation techniques and, even helps you in network building skills. A career coach can help you in looking at long-term dream careers, they would understand what you currently do, and guide you on how the next job would lead you closer to your dream job.
It is important to keep in mind that a career coach will not get you a job, or choose your professional goals, instead, they will help you identify your areas of strengths and help you develop upon the weaknesses.
Myth 4- Career Coaching is something meant for Tier-1 cities only
That career coaching is a profession only catered to Tier-1 cities is one of the bigger myths that is so commonly heard about. Talented and skilled individuals in Tier 2 & 3 cities, often give up before trying to pursue the profession due to this false notion.
The story is in fact, the other way around if one were to look at it through a critical lens. We, in India, are in a situation where the Tier-1 students are aware of all the benefits of a career coach and have the means and resources to approach one since they are present in their city. It is the Tier 2 & 3 towns that suffer. It is students there, who often never get a chance at proper career guidance due to the lack of good career coaches in their respective towns. It obstructs them not only from getting adequate mentorship, but also deprives them of the knowledge of the over 150 career domains that exist.
This myth has resulted in not allowing educators in these smaller cities and towns to become the guides and mentors they can be and have hampered the students’ careers in turn. So let us bust this myth right now and understand that career coaching is a universal need and not something only for Tier-1 cities.
Myth 5- Career coaching is not needed. They only tell you what can be found on Google
It is a tempting notion that one can Google anything today and appear knowledgeable. While the former half of the statement is true, the latter, however, is not. Knowledge is not something that can be Googled and consumed, and a career coach brings a lot more on the table than just his/her Search-Engine skills.
A career coach comes with skills that can not be acquired through a Google search. For instance, one cannot Google 10-20 years of experience, or one cannot acquire skills such as active listening, unbiased opinions, ethical behavior just by doing a quick online search. These are the traits that are acquired over years, maybe even decades. These are valuable skills that allow a career coach to help one recognize the ideal career paths.
At Mindler, the ICCC Program is designed to specifically answer questions like these, and bust such myths.
The program will not only help you elevate your skills but also help you build your knowledge and confidence around the career coaching profession. The program will give you a clear perspective so you are not pulled back by these myths. You will emerge as a successful career coach who will be ready to take on this amazing profession that will help so many young students get career clarity.
