What to Look for When You're Hiring a Coach

Hiring a coach? Here's what to look for.

Hiring a personal coach (life, career, executive, or otherwise) is such a personal decision.

It's also a unique opportunity to partner with someone who gets you, your goals, and can truly help you reach there.

We don’t always get to choose our doctors, dentists, therapists, or bosses, but you do get to choose a coach! (Well, most of the time anyway.) 

But how do you do it?
What questions do you ask?
What qualities do you look for?

In the last 7 years I have worked with 5 coaches, both personal and business. I have also been hired by over 100 clients to partner with them on their goals.

I've learned a thing or two about what to look for and the red flags to watch out for.

1. Connection:

Connection is the feeling that the person on the other end of the phone (or Zoom) gives you. You should feel comfortable sharing your goals and your story. You ought to know that when they tell you something, it's the truth, even if it's uncomfortable to hear. It's not necessarily whether you can be friends with this person; it's whether you can feel comfortable being yourself. You aren’t looking for a great coffee date, but for someone who will see you, your goals, your strengths, and your struggles as you really are. Because if you can't be yourself, the coaching process will not work.

2. Credibility:

The tricky thing about coaching is that anyone can call themselves a coach and so it can be hard to understand if someone is actually able to help you with your specific goals.

A few questions you ought to consider when choosing a coach: 

Is the coach trained by a credible organization? This isn't a must-have. I know some incredible coaches that do not have formal training, but it absolutely helps. A formal coach training teaches coaches how to create safe spaces for transformation, how to ask the right question at the right time, and how to help guide you to make the best decision for you (not for your neighbor, boss, parents, or significant other).

Does the coach have relevant industry experience? Again, not a must have, but it helps. Does she understand the acronyms you use? The specific challenges you face every day? As I was navigating shifting from my corporate work to full time coaching, I connected with a coach who I thought would be a great fit. In speaking with her, I learned that prior to becoming a coach, she had been a stay-at-home-mom and did not have corporate experience. She was a wonderful person and likely a great coach, but she could not understand the specific nuance of what I was going through.

Does the coach have testimonials or case studies? This can be tricky because much of a coach's work is confidential. Can a coach share testimonials and case studies without sharing specific details that can showcase the kind of results you may experience in working with her?

3. Curious

My favorite things to hear from clients are: That is a really good question and I've never thought of it that way.

Both statements indicate that the client is thinking about something in a new, different, and perhaps unexpected way.

That is what happens when curiosity leads the way. Does the coach ask you good questions? Does the coach dig a little deeper? Does the coach inspire you to ask your own questions?

Coaching is a partnership and curiosity is a mainstay in creating a partnership that works.

4. Red Flags 

As you are looking for a Coach, be aware of a few red flags too.

Promising specific results they can’t guarantee. Is the coach promising a specific outcome or transformation? Or worse yet, are they overpromising? As Coaches, we can't promise a certain outcome (just like doctors can’t promise health, personal trainers can't promise you will lose the last 10 pounds, or financial investors can't promise certain returns). What I can promise, as a coach, is that I will share with you all the tools and resources you need to vastly increase the likelihood that you will reach your goal.

Steering you toward goals that don’t feel like yours. Is the coach pushing you towards a specific path, goal, or outcome? Your goals have to be yours. Not your parents, not your bosses, not your significant others and certainly not your coaches. As a Coach, one of the most important tasks is to help you tune into your own voice and hear yourself with more clarity so that you can choose your own goal.

Hidden pricing or confusing packages. You can buy a white t-shirt at Target, The Gap, or Bloomingdales. Each store will have a different price, but you will know what it is. Coaching is similar. Each Coach may charge something different (and I will often work with clients to design a coaching engagement that meets their time and budget needs), but the price is always rooted in transparency.

No clear method or framework for how they work. Experienced coaches will be able to walk you through a framework or system that they use with most clients. It may not be set in stone because all people are different, but the system exists as a foundation. I did not have a system on day one of coaching, but over the last 7 years I have developed The Defined Leader Method to help my clients achieve their goals. The method evolves and changes as I learn more, but the foundation remains the same.

Coaching isn’t magic. But with the right partner, it can be one of the most transformative investments you make in yourself.

If you’re curious about what it’s like to work with a coach, let's connect. Send me an email or click the button that says "I'M READY FOR SUPPORT." and we will start the conversation.