Hi Elaine, I've been providing career coaching services for 7 years now and all my clients would testify that the investment is definitely worth it. Things to look for when seeking a coach are:
- rapport and coaching style (can you trust them, do you feel comfortable sharing, is their style a good match for you i.e. direct vs nurturing);
- what specific help do you need? and can they demonstrate where they've helped others achieve the same outcome i.e. industry change
- do they work with people like you, and what background / experience do they have that's important to you? i.e. professional women in their 30s/40s, HR specific clients / experience, public sector etc
- what's the process? get clear on programme structure, expectations, access to them outside of sessions - identify what's necessary for a successful relationship for you
- be realistic about how long the process could take, and the effort / time you need to invest to achieve your goal. I say this because you will be tasked with activities outside the session and often "life" gets in the way of this happening. So if you only have a certain amount / budget to invest, you want to make sure you get good ROI.
- interview 2 or 3 coaches before making your decision, or get a recommendation from someone who's opinion your value (most of my clients back in Sydney came through referral)

Good luck with your search. This is an exciting time for you. I made the transition into a self employed L&D consultant from a pure in-house recruiter through working with a career coach. It was a very empowering experience and I learnt a lot about myself in the process. It will be tough at times but oh so worth it.

Let me know if you have any other questions.
Nicola

<p>Hi Elaine,</p>

There's some good advice from Nicola, above, about selecting whom you might work with.

You've indicated that you have a solid background in HR and L&D and that your career path has been (sort of) opportunistic and wholly within a corporate environment.  Taking stock at this juncture is clearly going to be worthwhile and maybe, just maybe, it is an appropriate time to think a little more broadly about options that are open to you and which you might like then to explore BEFORE you go down the route of finding the most appropriate consultant/ company who can provide you with the right sort of help that you want.

My experience? 20 years ago I had come to a point in my working life where I needed to consider the question of do I want more of the same, working in a corporate environment, or do I want to take a different (and likely more challenging path?

Having been a sort of 'corporate hatchet-man' for 15 years and commissioned outplacement services for (ex-) employees, I was in a good position to appreciate what was available. However, I found it really useful to do my own preparation to figure out my preferences. A useful resource that I had used for many years was a book: "What Colour is your Parachute?" - a guide for career changers. It is an American publication so is written for a different business culture, but nevertheless it guides you to ask all the right questions and has lots of practical exercises to get you exploring the whole range of options that could be open to you.

After my preparation period, I ended up having a few meetings (three sessions were ample) with the owner of an outplacement and psychometric testing consultancy. The expertise I wanted to tap into was practicalities of setting up a business - which she had clearly done - and using her as a sounding board so that I remained grounded.

She also provided very helpful tips on managing 'the home front' as having a spouse at home rather than at work 5 days a week can put strains on relationships!!!

I've enjoyed the past 20 years doing my own thing and being in charge of my own business destiny. And the counselling was very helpful - and it was also pro bono.

Anyway, good on you for being bold and decisive, and for putting your health first, bailing out without a parachute. I wish you success for the future.

Harvey

In reply to Harvey Bennett:

Elaine, these are the sorts of things people say about working with a professional Career Coach:  

Here's to your new career adventure!  

All the very best,

Jools x

Hi Elaine, I would recommend Steve Nicholls and his team at Executive Connexions, they have a wide variety of offerings and an empathic as well as intelligent approach to boosting their clients on the path to a next career step. I wish you all the best, as it's a competitive world, and I think seeking some professional support is an excellent idea.

Hi Elaine, I was a HRBP for approx. 20 years and two years ago I made the transition to Career Coach. Prior to committing to the decision I invested in a Career Coach as I wanted impartial support where I could explore whether I was making a sensible move and strategies to make the transition successful. My confidence in believing I could make the change rocketed - I held informational interviews with people who had previously done a similar move or was working in my target role. Definitely worth the investment - you save money in the longer term. You're welcome to PM me if you would like to discuss further. Enjoy the stretch, Mags