Myth # 1: Everyone (friends, family, close acquaintances, colleagues, key influencers, former clients and current clients) connected to a Career Coach have extraordinarily perfect careers.

* They are in the right job, with the right organization or company and they are receiving compensation commensurate with their contribution, etc.
* They are regularly promoted every 18 – 36 months.
* As entrepreneurs or business owners, they plan and track the stages of growth of their company and follow proven success principles.
* When they leave a company, they execute a flawless exit and onboard successfully to a new company in record time.
* If they decided to launch a Portfolio Career, they have a well-crafted business plan, a variety of opportunities already in place, a one-year annual salary emergency fund safely invested and they have already invested in developing the competencies they need to be successful.
* They practice Reputation Enhancement and are considered ‘keepers’ or industry leaders.
* They have in place an annual One Page Career Plan and a more intricate and detailed Five-Year Career * Plan.
* They are happy, satisfied and are paid more than their counterparts.

Please check all that apply:

□ Right! □ Wrong! □ Not so Much!

Myth # 2: All Career Coaches are living their career dream!

* They never suffer career setbacks.
* They have never been downsized, fired, or ‘early-retired’.
* They have well developed short-term and actionable Five-Year Career Plans in place.
* They are revered by friends and family and eagerly sought-after for their very valuable advice and counsel.
* They are applauded, celebrated and perceived as ‘Sooth Sayers’, prognosticators and seers by their clients.

Please check all that apply:

□ Right! □ Wrong! □ Not so Much!

The Reality

A Career Coach’s friends, former clients and acquaintances – are just like everyone else. They know that they should develop a short- and long-term career plan but they don’t take the time.

Some career coaching clients want to keep doing what they have always done; but somehow, they expect their Coach to help them achieve a different result.

Family members represent another shock to the career practitioner’s system. It has been foretold and handed down through the generations: a Career Coach cannot be a prophet or prophetess in his/her own land. There are only two choices left for the weary Coach: (1) ask for mercy, call in a favor from a colleague and ask them to counsel a close family member or (2) be arrested for attempted murder!

Career Coaches can also get caught flat-footed and experience being fired, make huge career mistakes or accept job offers and “opportunites” that turn into career disasters.

Career Coaches often feel like they are the embodiment of Cassandra from Greek Mythology:

“Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. Her beauty caused Apollo to grant her the gift of prophecy.

When she did not return his love, Apollo placed a curse on her so that no one would ever believe her predictions. She is a figure both of epic tradition and of tragedy, where her combination of deep understanding and powerlessness exemplify the ironic condition of humankind.”

The best Career Coaches possess a variety of skills and talents built into their DNA that are not inherent in most people. We can see:

* Possibilities
* Alternative futures
* The benefits of building a lasting network
* The folly of staying too long in a role or company that is stagnate or declining
* Unknown or unacknowledged competencies (the ‘X – Competency’)
* The risks associated with accepting certain job offers
* The treachery that will ensue in an organization culture that permits duplicity
* Why you were promoted or passed over for promotion
* The impacts – positive or negative – when a new boss arrives
* The slowing of a leader’s career trajectory and how to make a course correction
* The long-term effects of not building a leadership brand internally and externally
* When a job offer feels right
* Etc.

So, don’t believe the myths. Declare today as: Be kind to a Career Coach Day!

A question for you to consider:

When is the last time you acted on the advice of your Career Coach? If you can’t remember or you want to transform your career, contact me at: cglasco@charter.net


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