Why you should have a career coach

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Get ready for some statistics, facts and figures. You can’t afford to not have a career coach in the current job market. Here’s why.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the average unemployed person is unemployed for 4.6 months. If you make $50,000 per year, that is roughly $19,000, or $634/per day in lost wages. That doesn’t include lost vacation, medical/dental benefits and retirement contributions.

Every day you are not working, including Saturday and Sunday, costs you $634.00. Every single day. If you make more it costs you more. If you make less it costs you less, but you probably have less cushion to fall back on.

Adecco North America Group, the largest staffing solutions agency in the world conducted a survey that showed having a career coach reduced unemployment time by 15% – 46%. That works out to between $2850 and $8740 in wages recouped if you have a coach to guide your career planning and job search. Toss in the added benefits and you can add at least 25% to those figures.

What is that worth to you?

Adecco also surveyed previous college graduates to get their advice for the class of 2009. Most (71%) said the students should stick with their plans and pursue a job that is fulfilling in spite of the current economy. Only 13% said they should focus on money and earnings potential. Unfortunately, 72% said they thought this class faces more job difficulties than previous graduating classes.

Other recommendations include not automatically taking the first job offered, rather than waiting for the job they want. Unpaid internships were also discouraged as was going straight to grad school instead of entering the workforce. Experience counts. Being open to relocation was encouraged.

If the waters are rough and uncertain for the class of 2009, how is it for you? Who is advising you about the best actions to take, helping you decide what job to seek and how to land it? If you are your own counselor you are doing yourself a disservice.
The job market is vastly different this year than it was last year. That means the same strategies that worked to get a job last year may not (probably won’t) be effective this year. You need to have an experienced career professional to help you navigate the currents.

I don’t usually get this blatantly promotional in my articles. My goal is to provide useful, interesting information to help you achieve your career goals. But after seeing these statistics and figures, I think it would be irresponsible to not encourage you to find and use a good career coach, counselor or mentor.

A seasoned career coach can help you plan your job search, write a cover letter and resume designed to sell you to the employer, prepare you to ace the interview, and negotiate salary and benefits. The rates range from $350 - $500 per month for a good career coach. If you invest $700 - $1000 in coaching fees and shave one or two months off your unemployment period, you reap a net gain of $2000 - $7000.

This is not the time for John Wayne, rugged-individualist, independence. If you were competing in a bass fishing contest wouldn’t you want a guide to help you find the best spot to cast your line and land “the big one”? Let a career coach help you land your next big opportunity.