You might ask — Why Career Coaching?

You might ask — Why Career Coaching?

It's a good question, and the answer is found in the heart of human nature.

We have heard it many times, from married couples to world councils - communication is the key. Noted author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia declared, "Communication, the art of talking to each other, saying what we mean, saying it clearly, listening to what the other says and making sure that we're hearing accurately, is by all indication the skill most essential for creating and maintaining [key] relationships." Famed psychologist Carl Rogers added that, "the basic and most desperate need of our time [is] for more basic knowledge and more competent skills in dealing with the tensions of human relationships."

We all know by instinct and experience that communication is crucial in key relationships. No relationship, business or otherwise, will long survive bad communication. But in business, the bottom line depends on people.

In today's competitive marketplace, we cannot ignore the need for good coaching and communication. Coaches are not quite business consultants, whom you'd hire to address a particular operational or technical problem. But they're not psychotherapists, whom you'd tap to work through emotional issues.

In fact they do as much, and in the same way, as sports coaches who work with athletes: by helping you make the most of your natural abilities and find ways to work around your weaknesses. A good coach will make sure you meet your commitments, behave like a grownup, and otherwise stay out of your own way — things with which all of us can use a little help.

Competitive sports teach us that people learn best and attain peak performance when they receive support and guidance from a knowledgeable coach. To perfect our tennis or golf game, we eagerly seek out coaching. Yet all too often, when faced with a professional issue, a job crisis, or a business challenge, something that really matters to us — we go it alone.

But support is here!

Why You?

In its varying forms, this has to be the oldest and most commonly asked question posed by coaches. Why would anyone consider you over the multitude of other candidates? The reason is that you have an answer that meets the needs, questions, or wants of a prospective employer or recruiter. It sounds easy to communicate, but we all know that there is much more that goes into the process of getting hired. If it were easy, why would anyone that wanted a job be unemployed?

Often, in getting from where you are to where you want to be (your ideal career) there are many missteps along the road.

Visibility is More Important Than Ability

What does this all mean? It means despite your training, skills, education and experience, if you're not being seen in the right way by the right people, you will lose the job to lower-quality competitors who are more visible.

To put it simply, visibility is more important than ability. Write it down, hang it on your bulletin board, have a shirt made. It makes professionals angry, but it's true. When you're trying to get the job, the first step is to be considered, to get into the decision set. That doesn't happen because you're wonderful at what you do; recruiters and employers have no way of knowing that. They consider the people they see responding to their job posts, getting introduced by a family member or friend, or at speaking engagements and socials.

When employers or recruiters see your name or your face consistently, they assume you must be more successful, and therefore better, than the service providers they never see. The people they see will get the calls and the jobs. Visibility becomes a necessity in the job market.

Lack of Visibility Diminishes Your Credibility

With such a flood of resumes available today, people assume anyone worth hearing about has already crossed their radar screen. If they haven't heard of you, you can't be very good. This also is unfair, but true. Visibility affects the perception of your competence.

Attorney Johnnie Cochran is a great example of this dynamic. For years, he was a successful lawyer working for African-American clients fighting faulty products, discrimination, and police brutality. He had built a solid reputation as a crusader and was getting close to taking his money and retiring. Then came O.J. Simpson. Now, Cochran is internationally known, in demand, and the figurehead of an international company that employs hundreds. Is Cochran a better lawyer? No. But everyone knows his name.

Does Ability Matter?

Of course it does. Once you've got the interview, you've got to perform. Dazzle recruiters and employers with your knowledge and experience. Use your sales skills. If you get the work, blow them away with the quality of your work.

Maximizing each of the job search process steps, from specialization (what job do I want and why am I the best candidate for the position) to resume creation (which goes first, where does it go?) to interviews, and everything in-between, will decide whether you are visible to employers and recruiters as The One and get the job, or if your information is passed over.