What do good career coaches do?

“Career coach” is one of those terms that divides opinion. Some people picture a helpful mentor who guides you to a fulfilling career. Others imagine a cheerleader who charges a high fee for advice you could have Googled. The truth is that career coaching, like most professional services, ranges in quality. 

Some coaches are excellent and change lives. Others perhaps not so much.  The question is not whether career coaches are good, but whether you are working with one who knows how to deliver results.

What good career coaches actually do

At its best, career coaching is not about pep talks. It is about practical support, structured progress, and accountability. A strong coach will help you achieve things you are unlikely to do alone, no matter how motivated you are. They will ensure they're working with you so you don't go back to your default setting (which is usually the thing that has led to your end up in your current situation!). 

The second thing they should always offer is increased clarity. Many professionals get stuck because they cannot define what they want. A coach helps you cut through confusion and turn vague wishes into clear criteria. You identify your values, your strengths, and the kind of roles and organisations where both will be used.

The next is that they might (but not always) help you see your blind spots. We all misjudge how others see us. Most people assume their skills are obvious, their CV speaks for itself, and their interviews are “fine.” Often they are not. A good coach will highlight blind spots and sharpen how you present yourself.

Another thing they might offer is a really structured plan. Otherwise, it's easy to drift. Coaching creates clear actions, week by week, so you move forward instead of circling in indecision.

Career growth also often requires more than competence. You need presence in interviews, the ability to negotiate, and the confidence to hold boundaries. These skills can be learned and practised with a coach.

Lastly, they need to be able to offer accountability. Good intentions fade quickly. Regular sessions and progress tracking mean you do what you said you would do.

Why it's hard to make progress alone 

Most people do not lack talent. They lack perspective. When you are inside your own situation, it is almost impossible to see your blind spots clearly. You convince yourself you are “fine” when in reality your CV undersells you. You delay decisions because you feel every option carries risk. You talk yourself out of networking because it feels awkward.

None of these patterns are unusual. The problem is that without external challenge, you stay stuck for months or years. A coach speeds up what you might eventually work out alone, saving you wasted time, missed opportunities, and ongoing self-doubt.

Where coaching fails

It is important to be honest: not all career coaching is useful. Some red flags include:

• Generic advice that sounds copied from a blog.
• Endless conversations with no measurable outcomes.
• A narrow focus on CVs or LinkedIn profiles, with no attention to strategy.
• Lack of real-world professional experience.

If a coach does not challenge you, measure progress, or adapt their approach to you, you are wasting time and money.

Why coaching works when it works

Career coaching works because it combines psychology with strategy. Research shows that coaching improves performance, goal achievement, and well-being. Structured preparation improves interview results. Negotiation outcomes improve when people prepare with clear targets and scripts. Progress accelerates when actions are tracked and reviewed rather than left vague.

In my practice, I combine coaching with therapeutic training. That means we work on both the external strategy and the internal obstacles. On one hand, you get clarity about roles, career paths, and positioning. On the other, you work through imposter feelings, fear of asking, or burnout. This dual approach ensures that you do not simply land a role but step into it with confidence and resilience.

What results can you expect?

From working with a strong coach, you should expect: 

• Direction that feels clear and actionable.
• More interviews and better performance in them.
• Offers with stronger pay and boundaries that protect your time.
• Less self-doubt and more decisive action.

Many coaches focus only on the surface: your CV, your LinkedIn profile, or your interview technique. That matters, but sometimes it's not enough. Sometimes you might need a coach to address both the external and the internal challenges that are preventing you from feeling fulfilled. We build your strategy while also addressing the patterns that hold you back, whether that is overthinking, people-pleasing, or imposter syndrome. The result is not just a better job search, but a stronger sense of confidence that carries into your new role and beyond.

A good coach does not do the work for you. What they do is shorten the time it takes you to get results. They make progress visible, keep you accountable, and help you make better decisions. A bad coach wastes time. A good one can change the entire trajectory of your career.