I realized as I was starting write this that graduations are in full swing and I think there are some interesting parallels between pursuing a degree and pursuing a coach certification / credential. I bring this up as I think the parallels help provide a familiar decision-making framework for selecting a coach certification / credential program.
So, let’s look at the parallels to see what insights can be gleaned. Many, not all, but many ask the following questions prior to pursuing a degree.
- Should I get a degree?
- Which degree?
- How many degrees?
- From what school?
- Will my degree help me get a job?
- How will I use my degree?
Similar questions are, or should be, asked when considering a coach certification / credential.
- Should I get a certification /credential?
- Which one should I get?
- How many certifications / credentials do I need?
- From what program should I receive the required training?
- Will a certification / credential help me get clients, a job or advance in my career?
- How can I leverage my certification / credential?
So, let’s dive into this. Getting a coach certification / credential, just like getting a degree, is an investment in your future. The answer to many of the questions posed above depends on your goals and objectives. Where do you want to be in 3, 5, 10 years? The answer to this question will help guide you through the decision-making process.
If you are new to coaching or even if you’ve been practicing for a while, you may not have clearly defined your goals and objectives or updated them recently. If that is true, it is worth taking the time to do so. When it comes to defining your coaching goals and objectives, some that you might be considering include;
- I want to become a full or part-time coach with my own practice
- I want to continue working in an organization but add coaching skills to be a more effective and valuable employee
- I want to have a second career in coaching after I retire. One that provides more freedom/flexibility
- I want to continue working in my profession but supplement this with a part-time coaching practice
- I want to develop coaching skills to become a more effective leader and advance in leadership positions
Once you have your goals and objectives defined, you are ready to think about selecting a program. When you start researching to see what programs are available, you’ll want to answer these questions about the training program and the organization that offers it, considering your goals and objectives;
- Will you learn the desired / required skills?
- Is the program recognized among peers, clients?
- Will the training program be around / recognized in the future?
- Does the training program have a good reputation?
- Does the organization provide on-going support?
- Does the organization provide continuing education?
- Is the organization growing and evolving with the industry? Keeping up with the times?
- Is the training program accredited – likely to be recognized and meet standards if the industry becomes regulated?
Graduations are a time of great expectations and bright futures and getting a certification / credential should be too. Learn more about this topic by attending our next free webinar. Register here.
