Wendy Jones: Taking the Mystery out of Hiring a Coach

Hiring a Coach, to those who have not yet had that experience, can be a bit of a mystery. Here’s a basic primer on hiring a Coach.

Step #1: Get clear why you are in the market for a Coach. What’s the situation you are wanting to evaluate or change or reflect on? Is it about your leadership abilities, career fulfillment, strengthening a relationship, health and wellness improvement, retirement planning…?

Step #2: Do your research. Do a google search. Type in for example: “Career Coaches Nova Scotia”, or “Wellness Coaches Toronto” or “Executive Coaches Canada”. Or check your local ICF (International Coach Federation) Chapter’s website. Or go to https://coachfederation.org/find-a-coach which is ICF Global website and a great place to find a credentialed coach. This is also a good time to ask your network for names of any Coaches that they can personally recommend.

Step #3: Make a Short List. Review the websites of the Coaches you turned up in your research phase. Coaches, like any other professional or business, work hard to ensure their website reflects their professional and unique offering. Check out the various sites and get a feel for which of the Coaches you are drawn to.

Step #4: Make Contact. Call or email your top two or three Coaches. Ask for a preliminary 30 minute, no- charge phone call. Let them know you are in the market to hire a Coach and you’d like to ask them some questions about their practice. Questions like; Do you coach by phone or a digital platform in person? What is your fee? Length of commitment? Where did you take your coach training? Do you have ICF (International Coach Federation) credentials? What is your area of specialty/who are your typical clients?

Step #5: Decide and Hire. Make your selection from the Coaches you’ve shortlisted and spoken with. If you’ve gotten this far, there’s really only one question left to ask yourself: Is this the right Coach for me?

5 simple steps that takes the mystery out of hiring a Coach. Enjoy the process, and the journey!