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At J21 Coaching we’ve noticed an increase during recent weeks in the number of clients looking to hire a Birmingham career coach.

The main element to consider when sourcing a career coach in Birmingham is whether you feel you can connect with the individual on a personal, professional and emotional level, to ensure the best career coaching results.

One of the favourite ways we engage with new career coaching clients in Birmingham is by asking them to think about our top 7 considerations, so they are prepared to engage with the requirements needed for effective coaching.

These top 7 questions are designed to get a career coaching client thinking about where they are in their career, and ways in which they might want change to progress for them during one of our career coaching programmes.

The questions are in no particular order of preference or importance, but all are designed to get clients engaged with our Birmingham career coaches.

• Are you feeling discontented with your current employment role?
• How long have you felt unhappy with your career and job position?
• Do you feel under-valued and under-appreciated by your superiors?
• Are you being overlooked for promotion in your current employment?
• What’s stopping you from moving forward now in your chosen career?
• Do you want to achieve far greater results, including a higher salary?
• Is your career expertise being reflected in your current job package?

Often, there are three factors which prevent an individual from moving forward in their career – namely, confidence, comfort zone, and an attitude of ‘better the Devil you know’ often holding back progress in a chosen career.

We also ask our career coaching clients to imagine themselves in a new, fulfilling role – and if this isn’t within their current employer organisation, to consider the options such as moving to another firm or setting up a business.

There are three key elements within any career coaching programmes we deliver across Birmingham, and they involve the following activities:

• Changing career mind-set
• Updating LinkedIn profile
• Jumping ship if not happy

Our lead Birmingham career coach Jackie Cummins had an example recently, where a young chef found her profile on LinkedIn and got in touch as a result.

The client was only 25, and working in a prestigious city centre hotel and restaurant. Part of a corporate chain, he felt unappreciated and completely exploited with a sub-standard salary and benefits package. He was unhappy.

An ambitious professional caterer, he was trained in a Michelin-starred restaurant, but was a quiet chef, not the typical loud and ego-driven example.

After connecting with Jackie and engaging in a career coaching programme, he decided to try for other higher level catering management positions in Birmingham, and was interviewed soon after. He was offered a position with a significant salary increase, and gave his Notice with his current employers.

Not wanting to lose his talent, they increased the salary offer by another £1,000 and he stayed in place for a further six months to gain more kudos.

He found a Head Chef role in a boutique restaurant in central Birmingham where he gained more experience and ran a superb kitchen. He also undertook a mentoring programme with Jackie on how to run a full team, which he did successfully for a further two years at the same venue.

Six weeks ago, the Head Chef moved into catering recruitment where he’s now on an amazing salary and package, and is saving up to buy his first home within Birmingham. He couldn’t be happier with the career coaching.

This example is a recent example of the significant impact that hiring a professional and experienced Birmingham career coach can deliver.

For more information on our career coaching and personal mentoring services in Birmingham, please feel free to contact us here.