- Jenn Steliga
Building Your Team Series: Jillian Lucas, Career Coach
Updated: Nov 2, 2019
Our well-being can be enhanced by building a team of trusted advisors in areas where we are not experts or just need a little guidance. Finding the right professional is important, so take your time to determine the best fit for you. In this series, I introduce you to professions you may want to learn more about, with posts written by professionals whom I know to be caring and competent in their particular discipline. The goal is to educate you, my readers, about the various helping professions and how that field might be of service to you or someone you know.
Jillian Lucas, M.A., NCC, BCC is a Career Coach in New York. She holds sessions virtually as well, serving clients nationwide.
Jillian - thanks so much for talking to us today about career coaching! Can you tell us a little more about your profession?
I'd be happy to! Navigating your career path or job search on your own is often overwhelming. Career coaching offers guidance, support and the tools necessary to build a fulfilling professional life.
How is career coaching different from conventional career counseling services you might find at a university or community center?
I can speak to this first hand as my professional background includes university career services. Individual career coaching offers a very high level of customized support. As a career coach in private practice, I can dedicate a great deal of energy and effort to my client's individual needs. Career Centers do great work, but when the average ratio of students to professional career staff member is 1800:1, there is often limited time and resources for each individual.
Who would benefit from working with a career coach?
Honestly, anyone who cares about doing fulfilling work! If you're a new grad entering the work force, unhappy or burned out at work, or searching for your dream job, career coaching would be fitting for you!
What does the process of career coaching look like?
Before their first meeting, clients dig deep and set goals for their time in coaching. The process is very action oriented - designed to propel you forward toward your goals.
What can someone expect out of a relationship with a career coach?
Clients reap a lot of benefits from the career coach relationship. They not only get a teacher and accountability partner to take charge of their careers, but clients consistently report feeling much more hopeful, confident and excited about the process - even after just 1 session!
What is the most common issue that individuals seek out career coaching for?
In my practice, it's 3-fold. People often come to me feeling aimless or unfulfilled in their careers. They need help getting out of their rut and realigned on a purposeful path. Others have a clear direction, but aren't gaining much traction in their job search. And last, I do a lot of interview prep - helping clients overcome nerves, perfect their pitch and ultimately nail their interviews.
You offer a variety of services from interview prep, to job search strategies to career exploration: can you tell us a little bit more about each one of these and why each step is so important?
Sure! It's important to get clear on your career goals before skipping ahead to the job search. We turn inward for these answers - getting clear on values, skills and really what fuels you will provide a solid compass from which to make career decisions. Once there is clarity, we move into job search strategy. Most clients at this stage have been applying to jobs and are either not getting interviews or not getting offers. We work together on their overall strategy to put them in the driver’s seat of their search and get results faster. This involves targeting employers, networking strategy, refining marketing materials like the resume, LinkedIn and cover letters. Finally, there’s interview prep and salary negotiation - crushing these seals the deal and enables you to take your career to the next level!
If someone is considering utilizing the services of a career coach what would you encourage them to do as a next step?
Reach out to a couple of career coaches. Read reviews from their clients. Finding the right fit for you and your needs is essential!
Lastly, why do you love being a career coach?
I became a career coach because a career coach helped me about 10 years ago when I was feeling totally lost during grad school - unsure of what I would do with my counseling degree. That support was invaluable and put me on the path to where I am today. I have so much fun working with my clients - it honestly doesn't feel like work to me! I whole heartedly
believe everyone deserves a career they love.
You can learn more about Jillian by visiting her website at www.jmlcareercoaching.com