Career Coaching vs Counselling: The Key Differences

Great numbers of us aspire to do better in our professional lives. You might yearn to take on a more rewarding job in a different environment, or you may wish to gain a promotion at your existing workplace. You might have heard that a career coach, or a career counsellor, could help you with these aims. But do you know the differences between career coaches and career counsellors?

One thing is for sure: they are not completely synonymous and interchangeable terms! So, let’s look at how career coaches and counsellors could help transform your professional prospects.

How Career Counsellors and Career Coaches Differ

Both career coaches and career counsellors aim to help their clients advance their careers. However, they take slightly different paths to making this a reality:

• A career coach supports their clients in becoming better versions of themselves. The typical client of a career coach is an already established professional who is seeking a solutions-oriented approach to help them move forward in their careers. The career coach’s work will focus on their client’s current professional reality, and how they can align their situation with future aspirations. 
• A career counsellor focuses on the mental or behavioural blocks that may be preventing their client from advancing their professional situation. They take a therapeutic, holistic, and process-driven approach to help their client overcome any psychological barriers and shortcomings. As a consequence, their client can be helped to adopt the fresh, uncluttered approach that will position them strongly to move forward in their professional lives.

Another way to see the differences between the two is that if you enjoy your present career but wish to move into a new job, and already know which area you wish to transition to, you might seek out a career coach.

If, on the other hand, you’re interested in changing careers, but certain anxieties or procrastinatory behaviours seem to be holding you back as you try to figure out what to do next, you may approach a career counsellor.

The Paradox of Choice: Simplifying Decision-Making for Better Outcomes

As you consider how working with a career coach could help you progress as a professional, it is also worth bearing in mind the paradox of choice. This concept, introduced by psychologist Barry Schwartz, suggests that excessive options can lead to decision paralysis and dissatisfaction.

The overwhelming number of career paths available today, combined with the impact of social media and career expectations, can contribute to a problem of “analysis paralysis” when it comes to job searching and the consideration of job listings and opportunities.

If you wish to get beyond constantly worrying, “what if I make the wrong choice?”, you will need to begin simplifying your career decision-making. When you incorporate your own personal values and priorities into your decision-making framework, you can ensure greater confidence in the decisions that you make.

Self-Awareness And a Strong Vision Will Help Guide You to Better Career Choices

Developing a strong understanding of your personal strengths, weaknesses, and interests – allied ? aligned?  to your own vision – will assist your decision-making, as you become more adept at balancing long-term aspirations with short-term priorities.

In today’s world of seemingly infinite professional options, it can be easy for “the grass is always greener” syndrome to kick in. To lessen this effect, you will need to embrace your own imperfect choices, and to learn from them in readiness for future decision-making.

Breaking those big, potentially intimidating career decisions into smaller, manageable choices could be vital for making decisions easier. You could be further helped on this journey when you seek support and guidance from a career coach, while balancing such external advice with your own internal wisdom.

Cultivating a “growth mindset” will help build your professional resilience during those times when your career situation might be challenging, and the future uncertain. When, alongside this, you learn to simplify your decision-making, you can strengthen your likelihood of long-term career success.

Now that you know more about the difference between a career counsellor and a career coach, why not reach out to the coach who could be best placed to help with your professional development? Contact us today to find out how we can assist you on your journey to a more rewarding career.