​Coaching is always in high demand for the C-suite, but it's not just for executives. Here’s some ways coaching can boost your tech career.

Why is it that if we need help in our careers, we hardly ever think to hire a career coach? According to career coach Donna Sweidan ‘the goal of coaching is to support people in making informed decisions about their career development and trajectory. It doesn’t matter where you are in your career, because career coaching can be helpful at every point of someone’s professional path.’ Here’s some of the ways that coaching can boost your tech career.

Boosting your tech career with coaching

Recognise your value
A huge part of a coach’s job is to identify your professional and personal strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, you will gain insight into the skills and abilities that you bring to the table. This will help you tremendously during job searches, as well as negotiating a suitable salary.

Establish a career path
Career coaches are trained to get to know you as an individual first and a professional second. This will help when it comes to etching out a truly fulfilling career path. Many people choose their careers based on earning potential, or simply end up there by chance and later on conclude that they are unhappy and unfulfilled. By working with someone whose style of coaching take into account your personality, qualifications, and passions, you’re more likely to find a challenging, fulfilling tech career

Build confidence
In order to succeed in any domain, confidence is key – and something we referred to on our last blog [Insert link to lay-off blog]. By hiring a career coach, you can get an outsider’s perspective on how you stand out from the crowd. By being clear on your strengths – you’ll be more confident in asking for help to get you where you want to.

Accountability
Like a personal trainer, a coach wants you to reach your full potential. Therefore, a good career coach will motivate you, track your progress, and check in to ensure that you’re doing what you should be. By having the level of accountability that comes with coaching, you are less likely to stray from your intended path and more likely to reach your intended tech career goals.

Navigate difficult decisions
It’s inevitable that, at some point, you’ll encounter a situation in your career and want someone trustworthy to help you navigate the decision. Unfortunately, asking friends and loved ones isn’t always the best option – they may be biased and only tell you what you want to hear. A career coach, on the other hand, will pull no punches, have your best interests at heart, and give you advice accordingly.

Build a relevant CV
A career coach will have the necessary insight and experience to help you build a CV that showcases your understanding of the role for which you are applying and the needs of the organisation. Communicating how you bring relevant value is extremely important when it comes to standing out and among hundreds of resumes.

Job searches
Building on this, a good career coach can teach you what you need to know about networking and interviewing. Good coaching will give you tools, feedback and resources to be successful in your job hunt and your wider tech career.

The main benefit of coaching
Overall, the main benefit of coaching is that you are likely to see quick positive results, and fast-track your personal and professional growth. This is because coaching is participative and people tend to adopt new habits more easily when they are actively engaged in the process. With a career coach, this process is entirely devoted to your issues and the attainment of new behaviour goals.

At Skillfinder International we guide technology professionals to the right jobs, and help organisations navigate the world of technology talent. Find your next role here.