It’s Not About Finding a Job: Dispelling the Myths About Career Coaching

One of the best things about staffing the Career Connection booth every year at the ACFE Annual Fraud Conference is the success stories we hear from past attendees. From on-the-spot job offers that launched a new career to coaching sessions that changed a professional trajectory, and sometimes even a life, the details are both compelling and gratifying.

The most dramatic stories result from coaching sessions with our career strategists. Last year, on the first day of the conference, a woman strode up to the booth and breathlessly asked to speak with Glenn Bass, one of our career strategists. She kept repeating, “He changed my life, the session I had with him last year changed my professional life.” Unfortunately, I had to turn my attention elsewhere, so I missed the details; however, her enthusiasm and effusive gratitude impacted everyone present.

Several years ago a member was poised to embark on a series of challenging interviews for which she felt ill-equipped. After a session with Donn LeVie, she commented, "I'm going into these interviews with more confidence than I ever expected to have.”

Another member commented after his session, “My session exceeded all expectations. I had given up on all hope of searching for a career opening. Glenn, with pinpoint accuracy, created my brand.”

It’s a misconception that career strategists merely review résumés and cover letters and help job seekers land a job. While they can certainly help you craft a compelling résumé and develop a job search strategy, good strategists also help you master career-boosting skills and leverage your current skills. Their purpose is not to help you get a job, but to prepare you for any professional experience that comes your way. Have you been out of the workforce for a while in order to care for your children? Are you transitioning from the public sector to the private sector? Have you been branded a “job hopper”? A career strategist can help you position yourself in the minds of employers to overcome these potential objections.

Whether you are facing a challenge in your current job, thinking about a career change, want to discover your brand or simply want to make the job you have into the job you want, I encourage you to make an appointment with one of our career strategists. Who knows? Your life could be the next one that’s changed.