What does a life and career coach actually do?
If you've ever found yourself nodding slowly or even doing a little eye roll when someone says they're a life coach. Thinking to yourself but what does that actually mean, you’re not alone. It's one of those jobs that everyone's heard of and almost no one can clearly explain. The most common reaction I have is ‘oh I need to talk to you, can you tell me how to work less and earn more’. It’s a common misconception that a life coach will tell you how to live your life, and it’s not surprising. The word "coaching" is applied to everything from elite sports training to online courses promising to "unlock your six-figure abundance mindset." So, it's no wonder people are a bit confused and often a bit sceptical.
Let me introduce what life and career coaching means in my context…….spoiler, it’s a LONG way from sports coaching!
What a coach actually does - the short version
The simplest way I can put it is a coach helps you get from where you are today to where you want to be. Using questions, structure, and a healthy dose of accountability.
Think about a brilliant friend. You want to tell them everything, you possibly do tell them everything, but that friend will invariably tell you what they would do, or reassure you that everything will be fine, or they get bored halfway through your career dilemma because they've got their own stuff going on. A coach is like that brilliant friend, but they have no agenda except your progress. They ask exactly the right question at the right moment, they remember what you said three conversations ago and gently point out that you're doing the thing again.
A coach listens; properly, actively, in a way that most of us don't experience very often in daily life. They ask questions designed to help you think more clearly. They help you set goals that actually mean something to you (not the ones you think you should want). They spot the patterns you can't see because you're too close to them. And they hold you accountable for the things you said you were going to do. They also offer more in-depth exercises to help you work through blocks and problems in a creative and helpful way.
The International Coaching Federation, the main professional body for coaches globally, defines coaching as "partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential”.
What a coach doesn’t do…
Coaching is not therapy. Therapy is brilliant, and if you need it, please go. It works with the past, with mental health, with healing. Coaching doesn't do any of that. A coach isn't qualified to diagnose or treat anything, and a good one will tell you that from the start. Coaching assumes you're basically functioning. It's forward-facing; where do you want to go, what's getting in the way, how do we move you forward.
It's also not mentoring. A mentor has done what you want to do and shares their experience. A coach doesn't need to have done what you're trying to do at all. In fact, the whole premise of coaching is that you are the expert of your own life. The coach just asks the questions that help you access what you already know. I am accredited through the European Mentoring and Coaching Council which means I can put on my mentoring hat if asked, but predominantly I stick to pure coaching, which means I ask questions and offer resources but won’t tell you what to do!
And it's not consulting. A consultant tells you what to do. A coach emphatically does not.
Right. With all of that out of the way, what is life coaching and career coaching?
So, what’s life coaching?
Life coaching covers a lot of ground, which is part of why it sounds vague. But the common threads are: feeling stuck, feeling unfulfilled, wanting to make a change but not knowing what or how, navigating a big transition, or simply having a nagging sense that life could look different to how it currently does. It can cover everything from health and fitness to communication.
It might be about confidence. It might be about values. It might be about relationships, work-life balance, habits, or a major life decision that feels too big to think about alone.
The most important thing to know…..you don't need to be in crisis to benefit from coaching. The psychologist Abraham Maslow called this self-actualisation, the drive to become the fullest version of yourself. It's very human. And it doesn't require hitting rock bottom first.
Research backs this up. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that coaching significantly improves wellbeing, goal attainment and self-efficacy. None of that requires you to be in a bad place to start.
And what’s career coaching?
Career coaching is one of the best things you can do for your overall happiness, and given that a 2023 Gallup report found that only 23% of employees worldwide feel engaged at work, it's not hard to see why. We spend around 34% of our waking time at work, so if we’re not enjoying that time, feeling fulfilled or enthused it will have a huge negative impact on our overall contentment. Would you spend the other 66% of your time doing things that don’t light you up? Probably not, so why accept that at work?
Career coaching, a bit like life coaching covers whatever YOU need it to cover. That might be; figuring out what you want from work, navigating transitions - whether that's a promotion, redundancy, or returning after a career break, building confidence, dealing with workplace dynamics, or developing as a leader. It's also, frequently, about untangling what you actually want from what you've been told you should want, which for a lot of people is where the real work is. I work with career changers, new leaders, recent graduates, and everyone in between!
I find it really exciting that modern careers aren't linear. The idea that you pick a path at 18 and follow it loyally to retirement is no longer the way we work as a society (although it’s still possible, and if it works for you that’s fantastic!). People change careers, industries, whole professional identities, often more than once. Career coaching helps you navigate that without losing your mind or your sense of direction.
Importantly, it's not just for people who are lost. It’s also really useful for people who want to map out their future timeline or explore if they have any blockers to promotion or how they appear at work. High performers, leaders, people at a crossroads. Coaching is for the curious and the capable, not just the stuck.
What actually happens in a coaching session?
This is a common question and a little hard to answer as my coaching is bespoke to each individual but I’ll try and outline it a little.
At the beginning we’ll check in; how are things since last time, what's come up, has anything changed and what do you want to focus on today. We then dig into that focus. I ask questions. Quite a lot of questions. Some of them will be uncomfortable, which is normally the sign that they're the right ones. We might try out an exercise or two depending on your area of focus and reason for coaching. Towards the end I’ll check in again, reflecting what we’ve talked about and ensuring you don’t need anything else that day.
Between sessions there's usually something to do, think about, or try. I might set specific ‘homework’ or it might just be for you to reflect further on our conversations. This is often where the actual change happens, not in the session itself, but in the doing of things differently afterwards.
Sessions are typically 60 minutes, and online.
Does coaching actually work?
A widely cited study found that 86% of companies reported a positive return on investment from coaching, and for some, that ROI was significant. Research across multiple studies shows coaching improves goal achievement, resilience, self-confidence and overall wellbeing. The evidence base has grown considerably over the last two decades, and coaching is now used routinely in organisations like Google, Microsoft and the NHS.
The nuance: it works best when you're genuinely ready to engage with it. Coaching isn't something that happens to you, it requires you to show up, be honest, and actually do the things you say you're going to do. It also works better when there's a good fit between you and your coach, the relationship really does matter, which is why I offer a free intro call for you to see if you like my style and energy.
Should you get a coach?
Maybe. Here are three questions worth asking:
Is there an area of your life or career where you feel challenged or unfulfilled?
Are you willing to be honest with yourself, and to act on what you discover?
Do you want the most from life?
If you're nodding at any of those, it might be worth a conversation.
Curious about whether coaching is right for you? Book a free discovery call and we can figure that out together.