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When I broke my leg, I didn’t hesitate; I went straight to hospital to get it treated.
When my brother died, I knew I needed help; I sought counselling to help me navigate the grieving process.
Yet when I was made redundant and was offered the support of a career coach, my initial response was, “No thank you; I don’t need your help.”
Looking back, I’ve often asked myself why.
Why was I willing to seek professional help for a broken leg and for bereavement, but not for one of the biggest life challenges I had ever faced, redundancy?
Perhaps it was pride. Perhaps I thought asking for help would be a sign of weakness. Or perhaps I simply didn’t understand what a career coach could offer.
Eventually I changed my mind and accepted the support of a professional career coach. Five months later I secured an excellent new position. Looking back, accepting that help was one of the wisest decisions I have ever made.
A career coach cannot promise you a job. What they can offer is experience, practical tools, objective advice, and encouragement to help you navigate career transition as effectively as possible. More importantly, they walk alongside you throughout the journey.
A career coach provides practical guidance and support as you construct your CVs, begin networking, prepare for interviews, create your LinkedIn profile and decide on job-search strategies. Just as importantly, they encourage you when your confidence disappears, help you regain perspective after rejection, keep you accountable when motivation fades, and support you when you become weary, discouraged and emotionally drained.
My own journey came full circle. Thirty years ago, I accepted the support of a career coach. Today, after more than twenty years as a career coach, I have the privilege of walking alongside others facing redundancy, career change, and the challenges of returning to work. I don’t simply coach from professional training; I coach from personal experience. I know what it feels like to lose a job, to question what’s next, and to discover that accepting help can become the first step towards a new beginning.
The help I nearly refused changed the direction of my life. Today, it enables me to help not only those who have lost their job but also those feeling frustrated in their present job and wanting a change, those returning to the workplace after a career break and those who want to try something completely different.
When we break a leg, we don’t see asking for help as a weakness. When we grieve, we understand the value of support. Why not view career transitions in the same way?
As Christian coaches, we believe God is at work in every transition. What feels like an ending could be a new beginning. Asking for help may be the first step towards the new beginning God has been preparing for you.
“When one door closes, God often opens another. “
