Career Coaching

TL;DR

What it is: Career coaching means helping professionals navigate career transitions, land better jobs, prepare for interviews, and advance in their current roles. You provide guidance and accountability based on your own successful career journey in a specific field.

What you'll do:

• Run one-on-one sessions to understand client career goals
• Conduct mock interviews and provide feedback
• Create career development plans and strategies
• Assign homework and track client progress
• Help with job search strategies and offer negotiations

Time to learn: 3-6 months if you already have career success in your field and practice coaching skills regularly. Certification programs take 3-12 months depending on the program.

What you need: Proven career success in your field (usually 5-15+ years), strong listening and questioning skills, video calling setup, scheduling tools, and frameworks for structuring your coaching sessions.

Note: Platforms may charge fees or commissions. We don't track specific rates as they change frequently. Check each platform's current pricing before signing up.

Career coaching is about helping professionals navigate career transitions, land better jobs, prepare for interviews, negotiate offers, or advance in their current roles. You provide guidance, accountability, and expertise based on your own career journey.

This is different from resume writing. You're offering ongoing strategic career advice, not just fixing documents.

What You'll Actually Do

You'll have one-on-one sessions with clients to understand their career goals and challenges. Some want promotions, others want career switches, and many need help with job searches.

Interview preparation is a big part of the work. You'll run mock interviews, provide feedback, and help clients develop compelling stories about their experience.

Career strategy sessions involve mapping out steps to reach goals. This might include identifying skill gaps, creating development plans, or planning transitions into new industries.

Accountability and follow-up keeps clients on track. You assign homework, check progress, and adjust plans based on what's working.

Who Can Do This

You need a successful career in your field that others want to emulate. Mid-level to senior professionals with 5-15+ years of experience make the most credible coaches.

Understanding how hiring works helps immensely. If you've been on hiring committees or know what employers look for, you can guide clients better.

Strong listening and questioning skills matter more than talking. Good coaches ask powerful questions that help clients find their own answers.

The ability to give honest, constructive feedback is essential. Sometimes clients need to hear hard truths about their approach or expectations.

How to Get Started

Decide your niche first. Tech careers, executive coaching, career transitions, first-time job seekers, or specific industries like finance or healthcare all work.

Consider getting certified through coaching programs. Certification programs exist through various organizations and typically cost ₹20,000-60,000. Some coaches find this adds credibility when starting, though it's not required.

Start by mentoring people in your network for free. This builds coaching skills and generates testimonials you can use later.

Create a structured coaching program. Most coaches offer 6-12 session packages covering goal-setting, strategy, action plans, and accountability.

Build your presence on LinkedIn by sharing career advice and insights. Position yourself as someone who understands the challenges your target clients face.

Offer free 30-minute discovery calls. These help assess fit and convert interested people into paying clients.

Market Rates and Income Variables

Individual session rates vary widely based on experience and niche. Newer coaches might charge ₹1,500-3,000/hour, while experienced coaches with proven results often charge ₹3,000-7,000/hour.

Most clients prefer packages over single sessions. A 6-session package might be priced at ₹15,000-40,000, while 12 sessions could run ₹30,000-80,000 depending on the coach's expertise.

Executive coaches working with senior professionals command higher rates. Income depends on number of clients, pricing, session frequency, and your niche.

Group coaching programs offer different economics. Pricing per person for cohorts typically ranges from ₹8,000-15,000 depending on program length and value.

Variables affecting income include your track record, client results, niche specialization, marketing efforts, and time commitment. Building a consistent client pipeline takes time and ongoing effort.

Where to Find Clients

For Beginners:

• LinkedIn (share career advice, engage with your network)
• Coaching platforms like Coach.me or BetterUp
• Your professional network (former colleagues, alumni groups)

For Experienced:

• Referrals from successful clients
• Speaking at career events or webinars
• Corporate partnerships for employee development programs
• Content marketing through blogs or video platforms

Best Strategy:

• Specialize in one career niche
• Share client success stories (with permission)
• Build relationships with HR professionals and recruiters
• Offer free workshops to demonstrate value

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't call yourself a career coach without specific expertise. "Tech career coach for mid-level engineers" is stronger than just "career coach."

Avoid taking on clients whose goals you can't help achieve. If someone wants to break into investment banking but you have no finance background, refer them elsewhere.

Don't just tell clients what to do. Ask questions that help them discover insights themselves. That's actual coaching.

Never guarantee outcomes like promotions or job offers. You guide them, but results depend on their effort and external factors.

Tools You'll Use

Session Management:

• Video calling software for sessions
• Scheduling tools for booking appointments
• Note-taking tools for session notes and action plans

Assessment Tools:

• Career assessment frameworks
• Skills gap analysis templates
• Goal-setting frameworks

Marketing:

• LinkedIn for content and networking
• Simple website or landing page
• Email for client communication and follow-ups

Is It Worth It

If you have career success to share and enjoy helping others, this can be rewarding work that genuinely impacts people's lives.

But you can't wing it. Develop structured frameworks and methodologies rather than improvising each session.

Your career should demonstrate the success you're coaching toward. If you're helping people advance in tech, you should have done it yourself.

Start with your network. Your first clients will likely be people who already respect your career journey and want your guidance.

Focus on getting clients tangible outcomes like promotions, job offers, or successful transitions. Your reputation grows through client results.