You’re seeking career advice. How do you know if a counselor’s approach is right for you?

Before you start checking counselors think if you have a bit of sense whether you want to transition your career but stay within familiar environment (i.e. in corporate world, start up, or in NGO, or self-employment). If you have a rough sense of what space is right for you search for a counselor that helps people in either pivoting their career within the same set up (i.e. go from finance to marketing but still in big organizations - CV update, using network etc.), or helps with transition and preparation to self-employment journey, or perhaps you have no clarity at all and you need somebody who will guide you through a self-discovery process of what your heart desires before you make any plans whatsoever.

In addition to the remarking suggestions, when evaluating whether a counselor's approach suits your career needs, it's crucial to consider their use of psychometric tests to identify compatible jobs to your personality traits and interests. Counselors who integrate these assessments into their counseling process can provide valuable insights into your strengths, preferences, and areas for development.

É importante considerar alguns pontos. Primeiramente, verifique se o conselheiro tem experiência e conhecimento sólidos na área em que você deseja orientação. Além disso, observe se ele demonstra interesse genuíno em entender seus objetivos e necessidades, oferecendo um plano de ação personalizado. A empatia e a capacidade de estabelecer uma relação de confiança também são aspectos importantes a serem considerados. Por fim, avalie se as sugestões e orientações do conselheiro ressoam com suas próprias ideias e valores. Esteja aberto a experimentar diferentes abordagens até encontrar a que melhor se alinhe com seus objetivos e estilo pessoal.

Verify the counselor's qualifications, certifications, and relevant experience in career counseling. Look for reputable accreditations or affiliations that demonstrate their expertise in the field.

You certainly wouldn't go to the dentist with back pain. For career advice which is relevant to you, it is essential to find a consultant who has experience and an overview of your industry and also knows exactly what is required at your hierarchical level and the next levels up. If you aren't able to positively verify this (via website or LinkedIn), keep looking.

Inquire about their counseling approach and methodologies. Understand how they typically work with clients, whether they use assessments, coaching techniques, or personalized counseling sessions.

Wherever you are in your career, there will always be a variety of possible courses of action. In order to find the right one for you, a thorough "anamnesis" is an absolute prerequisite. Only when your career advisor has worked with you to clearly define your wishes, preferences, strengths and also your limitations should a consultation begin. There is no shortcut for this procedure.

Mentorias de carreira são extremamente diferentes em alguns pontos e, dependendo do mentor, a abordagem e a metodologia utilizada podem ou não agradar você. Por isso, avalie bem a forma como vocês vão trabalhar juntos para verificar se é realmente isso que você busca.

This one is important. You don't just need to know what they "offer" - assessments, tools, one on one calls, etc., you need to know their framework or a repeatable process for how they get clients results. If a coach can explain the mentality so that it makes sense to you, then you can talk about what they offer. But if their methodology doesn't make sense, then they probably aren't a good fit for you.

O canal de comunicação entre você e o seu mentor(a) precisa ser efetivo para ambos os lados. Se você não gosta ou não se adapta bem a falar pelo WhatsApp, será que vale a pena investir em uma mentoria onde toda a comunicação é feita através desse canal?

Pay attention to how the counselor communicates and interacts with you during your initial consultations. Assess whether they listen actively, provide empathetic support, and offer constructive feedback tailored to your goals.

A trademark of great coaches is their ability to listen and understand your problem. If you feel like you are being shoved into their box and they don't understand your problem well, then they might not be a good fit. But if they listen well, then they should be able to truly tell you if you fit their methodology, or if there is someone or somewhere else you should be looking.

Find a career counselor who is competent in your goals and industry. Find a career advisor who also convinces you on a personal level. Work together to develop a plan for the collaboration that is right for you and will help you achieve your goals. (None of this should cost any money!) If all this is in place, then the costs are secondary, because the ROI will be very high.

Consider the counselor's fees and the range of services they offer. Determine whether their pricing structure fits within your budget and whether they provide comprehensive support tailored to your needs.

Fees are important, but so is your involvement. The more work that you need to do, and the longer it takes to get results, the less you should pay... even if they are someone with a big brand name. If you are spending more concentrated time with the coach, expect to pay more in every scenario.

Trust your gut feeling about whether the counselor's approach resonates with you. If you feel comfortable, understood, and confident in their ability to support your career goals, it may indicate a good fit.

Trusting your intuition is crucial and if there's anything that triggers you (sometimes trivial as their look, their voice, their room in the background) look further because in this process your entire focus should be on your discovery journey and not facing our own resistance and putting energy in the wrong place.

If they don’t listen to YOU, they aren’t the right if. If they give you template advice that doesn’t fit your needs, they aren’t for you. You can tell a lot about a person’s style by reading how they are described. Read between the lines when reading their recommendations. Do the recommendations talk about “no fluff, right down to business, hand holding and kicking you in the butt” or are they very generic. Look for results. See if people actually got jobs, or just have a "better looking resumes", but still no job? Check out their freebies, their content, posts, responses to others, and videos. You can get a great idea of what someone’s style, personality, and knowledge by that. After all, we are our Brand, every moment, of every day.

Truthfully, most career coaches will teach 70-80% of the same thing. (Because it works) Pay attention to who they serve and how they serve their clients. Try to find someone that has helped people like you get to where you want to go. That will increase the likelihood of success!

Ultimately, finding the right career counselor involves considering their credentials, approach, communication style, fees, and your intuition. By carefully evaluating these factors, you can choose a counselor who can effectively guide you toward achieving your career objectives.

Ask for references. Even if we often don't disclose full names and positions of people we work with (if you were a senior director or VP you wouldn't like your face and name to be published in such a context ;), when you ask we are happy to give you a few contacts to people we worked with (after we agreed we can) who will share their experience and results first hand.

Most coaches offer a free initial coaching session to help you decide if they're a good fit for you. Take advantage of it! During the session, focus on the relationship. Make sure you feel comfortable discussing your challenges openly and honestly. Evaluate their coaching style. The best coaches are highly curious, ask powerful questions, listen intently, and make you feel fully supported. Find out why they became a coach. Their backstory can provide valuable insight into their motivation and approach. Ask for examples of how they have helped people facing challenges like yours. Make sure they offer a customized approach. Everyone's needs are different, so their coaching approach and resources should be tailored to your specific needs.