6 reasons to consider getting a career coach in 2025
No matter what the sport - football, golf, tennis, Formula 1 - the stakes for the top performing athletes are very high. The world’s best are paid in the millions, the pressure is intense and the margin between success and failure is slim. No wonder that these highly successful individuals work with performance coaches. Furthermore, they didn’t reach the top of their game and then get a coach. No, having that performance coach was a key factor in getting there.
It may be unconventional, but I regard Financial Services professionals as peak performance athletes. They are typically incredibly intelligent, well educated, highly motivated, and work under high pressure to perform in one of the most intensely competitive sectors in the world.
With that in mind, here are six reasons why Financial Services professionals should consider teaming up with a Career Coach.
Career Strategy. There are probably two parts to this.
First, from time to time, it’s worth taking some time to review what you’ve achieved so far, survey the shifting landscape and think carefully if the current direction of travel is still valid. Have your values changed and are no longer aligned with your current career reality? Is the circumstance of your business changing so fundamentally that you need to set a new course?
Second, there are often career situations that can be anticipated and it’s probably wise to have thought them through and have contingency plans in place.
Goal Setting and Accountability. How easy is it, especially at this time of year, to set objectives and then get sidetracked with what’s in front of you every work day. Those once important goals are often not achieved. The right Career Coach can help you with your SMART goal setting, ensure that they’re aligned with your wider career strategy, and hold you to account so that real progress is made quarter by quarter.
Peak Performance Psychology. In his recent conversation with Patrick Bet-David, Tony Robbins said that the greatest chokehold on the success of a business is most often the ‘psychology’ of the leader. I’d argue that the same can be said for professionals and their careers. Confidence and imposter syndrome are often issues that come up in our coaching sessions at Career Mentor. Furthermore, finding and maintaining a strong frame of mind is critical. This may be especially true if there are challenges, such as getting out of a negative downward cycle.
Career Transition. Sometimes it may be the case that to get off that career plateau and enter a new phase of growth and progress, it’s necessary to move to another firm. That may be to the same sort of role but somewhere else, it may be for promotion or it may be to move into an entirely new field, like from banking into a corporate. Career transitions can be tricky and there are potential dangers to be avoided - we don’t want to go from the pan into the fire. Finding a guide who has been down this path will avoid costly mistakes and accelerate the process with the minimum loss of time and career momentum.
Work-Life Integration. Finding the right balance between working on a career that is aligned with one’s values and spending precious time enjoying life beyond work is critical. Avoiding burn out, budgeting and managing your time effectively, levering out tasks to others, and using techniques such as NET time will help you optimise your career happiness, fulfilment and performance. A Career Coach will help you audit your current situation in this regard and find ways to make significant improvements.
An Objective Opinion and Sounding Board. It’s often very useful to have the counsel of an independent and experienced coach who can offer you a different perspective and help you handle all the decisions and challenges of a career. Although new to you, your Career Coach may have seen similar situations in the past, which equips them to offer you alternative ideas and possible solutions. You’ll have someone to debate possible courses of action and help arrive at the best solution. Your Career Coach has your best interests in mind but they are not a colleague, family or friend. Instead, they hold a unique position where it is their profession to help you optimise your career as a peak performing professional.
Having a winning career in a field as intense and competitive as Financial Services is difficult enough. Doing it alone is certainly possible, but it’s worth considering the difference that a high quality Career Coach can have in helping you build a career that is truly aligned with your values and goals.
If you’d like to find out more about our Career Coaching, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a complimentary 15-minute call.