Questions about Career Coaching from Noah

Noah is a young friend and former client who is now in college. Last week he reached out to me for some help with a presentation he’s doing in one of his classes. Ironically, it’s a presentation on Career Coaching. Noah asked some great questions and I thought they might give folks insight into what I do and who I am.

Noah - What made you want to be a career counselor?

When I was a professor I advised about 15 to 40 students each semester. (I had terrible academic advising in college, so I wanted to be a really good advisor.) Many of my students didn’t know what they wanted in their vocation, let alone, what major they should pursue. So I set about to help them. It was through that experience that I recognized my own drive to help people through these difficult but crucial life questions: Who am I; What should I do with my life; What does that imply about the kind of work I should do; What are the qualities of the life that fits me?

 I opened my practice in 2006 and I’ve served well over 1000 clients from 17 to 67 years of age.

Noah - How did you become a career counselor? What did you study? What degrees did you pursue/attain?

I have a B.A. in Psychology, a Master’s in Social Work and a PH.D. I’ve always been fascinated by the things that drive human behavior and learned a lot about these in my bachelor’s program. In my master’s program I learned great counseling techniques, though I had no desire to be a counselor at the time. Then, in my doctoral program I learned important information about the qualities of accurate, informative testing and the attributes of work cultures. It was only later that I saw how I could blend these into a way to effectively serve people struggling their vocation.

Noah - How would you describe your role/purpose as a career counselor?

First, I describe myself as a Career Coach because I see the most important aspects of the process being in the way I help clients take steps toward the vocations that best fit them - how they’re wired and their life aspirations. Often “Career Counselors” or “Career Services” don’t do anything more than give tests and results or reports to their clients, usually with a “debriefing” session after. In my opinion this doesn’t go far enough. Helping people actually use the information and move toward their goals is the great missing piece in most career services.

 My purpose is to provide objective information and insightful guidance that helps people move toward a vocational life that fits them.

Noah - How would you describe the process and goal of career coaching?

I have a standardized, step-by-step process that I use with students and another, lengthier, process that I use with working adults. The goal is for a client to understand herself/himself, what vocations fit them, what they want from their lives, then take the steps needed to bring those together. It’s not quick or easy because it’s meant to be something they can use forever.

 Noah - What is your favorite part of career coaching?

When clients get insights into themselves and their lives and, perhaps, make some life changes that fit these insights. It’s very rewarding to learn that a client is in a better place because of our work together.

 Noah - What is the most challenging part?

My greatest challenge is to fully understand who my client is and then guide them according to what they want. Each person has a unique story, unique gifts, and unique aspirations. My task is to guide them in a way that fits their attributes and I can’t do that if I don’t take time to learn what makes each of them unique. I actually pray (a lot) for wisdom to guide them well.

 Noah - What sorts of tools/personality tests do you use to help in the process? How do you implement them?

I have a Personal History Outline that I use to learn my clients’ stories. I use the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator to learn (and share) how they’re wired. I have a Work Values exercise that I “borrowed” from a university and a Life Priorities exercise that I developed to help them think through what’s most important in their lives. And, a Dreams and Aspirations exercise I use to help clients think deeply about what they want their lives to look like. Together these help us understand who they are and what they want in the vocational world. Making decisions about what to go after and the steps that will best help her/him get there come next.

 Noah - What is the role of personality in choosing one's career? Why is it important to look at personality?

Personality – What I often call “our God-given hardwiring” – determines how our brains work, how we process information, and how we naturally approach the “doing” of work tasks. To a large degree it determines what work tasks and work environments will naturally fit us. Although human beings are extremely flexible and can (and do) routinely take on tasks that are outside our natural hardwiring, there is a cost we pay when we aren’t engaged in work that fits us. Personality is a great TOOL for understanding the kinds of work in which we should engage.

 Noah - What is the most important thing for clients to know going into the process? Do you give a warning/disclaimer?

I often tell prospective clients that I am a guide, not a decision-maker. I can lead people toward the work that fits who they are, and I can help them determine the steps that can get them closer to their goals, but they are the ones who must take action. I cannot do it for them. That’s the greatest challenge for many of my clients – taking action toward their goals instead of worrying about whether they’re taking “the right steps” toward the right things. I’m here to walk beside them as they take steps.

 Noah - Are there any trends in personality that you have observed along age, gender, spiritual orientation, etc.?

Widespread acceptance of the Enneagram (a personality test) may lead to a misunderstanding by people, especially young people, that life is a matter of determinism. To wit, “my enneagram number is a X, so I’m just going to be that way”. It can become an excuse, a crutch, for not pursuing more in life. I’m a big proponent of the idea that we were created to “live an adventure” and “move toward” goals and aspirations. Too many of my friends use their Enneagram number as a cop-out from life’s hard moments rather than motivation to fully become themselves.

 Noah - How do you handle a situation where a client may not be engaged or does not want to be involved in the process?

I’ll remind her or him that I can’t make decisions or take actions for them. Sometimes I help them work through fears that are holding them captive - keeping them from moving toward the life they want. I believe each of us has false “messages’ and beliefs about who we really are or how life might go. Challenging these to find the truth about ourselves is often a pivotal step toward the life we were meant to live.

 Noah - What challenges do you most often encounter?

The biggest challenges are the clients that have difficulty making decisions, making choices between equally attractive options, or get frozen by fear of making a decision that might lead to irrevocable consequences. I gladly share with them that vocational choices that “forever put them on the path of the dark side” (using my best Yoda voice) don’t really exist. There are always opportunities for changing directions and “New Starts” in your work-life.

 Noah - What advice would you give to students considering going into the field of counseling, especially career counseling?

The best counselors/coaches are those people who focus on helping the client determine the answers and their own path. You can’t (and shouldn’t) project your own life or aspirations into the life of a client. On the other hand, many clients do need help seeing how to best go after the life they want, so you have to be very good at objectively presenting the ways or steps that would get them toward their goals. You have to invest yourself toward seeing good outcomes for your client (so you work hard for her / him), while staying emotionally detached from her / his choices, actions and outcomes, because it’s ultimately their life. That’s why I often say, “I’m a guide”. A guide can point you in the right direction, and even walk beside you as you take your steps, but he can’t walk your path for you.

Noah - What advice would you give me about doing this presentation?

Let me do it. (laugh) I love talking about what I do and the ways I’ve seen it help people.