9 Things to consider when hiring a coach

Posted on February 03, 2015 by Kimberley Newing , One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

1. Professionally Trained. First, there are the obvious requirements to make sure you are choosing the right coach for you. Confirm they have received professional training from a program specifically designed to teach coaching skills in alignment with the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics so you know you are getting high quality coaching.

2. Sample their style. Spend at least 20-30 mins speaking with or experiencing the coach and her style before committing to a period of working together. Most coaches will offer this to you free of charge.

3. Interview more than one. Speak to 2-3 different coaches before making your decision which gives you the opportunity to experience different skill sets and communication styles.

4. Make sure they challenge you. If you end up with a coach who is ‘too nice’ to challenge you on your shit – chances are, you’re just paying for a friend. Sorry to be so blunt, but it’s true. You want to make sure your coach has a healthy set of balls and is willing to LOVINGLY challenge you to step into your own greatness ☺

5. Notice how you FEEL. Check in with how you feel in your body when in the presence of the coach. Does she make you feel at ease? Does he instill confidence, clarity and faith in you within the first few minutes or do you feel confused, uncertain and anxious after the conversation?

6. Make sure you feel heard. Notice the coaches listening skills. The number one quality that separates good coaches from great coaches is their ability to listen deeply. Do you feel really heard? Do you feel that the coach understands what you are looking for and requiring at this stage of your life? Or do you feel that you are getting talked over the top of? Like the coach is more focused on getting their information across instead of being present to you and your needs?

7. Trust your intuition. You will KNOW when it’s the right fit for you. A coach can have the best training, the best skillset, be a nice person and still not be the right fit for you. Magic happens when the two connect on a level that is deeper than words. When you feel that the space the coach invites you into is one that is sacred, non judgmental and will be a healing container designed especially for you – you will know it. When you walk away from the session knowing that this is the person that will help you achieve on a deeper level the things you deeply desire – the answer will be YES, the rest are less important details.

8. Follow up – Look for a coach that offers follow through and follow up. You should leave the complimentary session with some time sensitive action steps in which the coach challenges you to follow through with. A great coach will also follow up with you after the session to make sure you are on track and to offer any further support. This is a great indicator of how the relationship is likely to go in the future. Choose a coach who is focused on accountability to make sure you actually get the results you have hired them for. Chances are, if there’s no follow up after the initial session, holding you accountable to doing the things you say you’re going to do is unlikely to happen.

9. Don’t be cheap. There’s a saying “Buy cheap, Buy twice” … Do not choose your coach based on price or chances are you will take longer to achieve the desired result or you many end up switching coaches mid way through and starting again. Yes, it is important to work with someone who meets your budget needs AND excellent coaches are not cheap. Remember, You want to choose someone who values themselves and their services, who is willing to do what it takes for themselves to create the life they desire – how can you expect to grow and develop your own self worth with a coach who does not value these things in themselves or believe in their own abilities?

A great coach will offer session times of up to 1 hour but will also offer time either side of that to prepare for your session designed specifically for you and to provide you with notes and feedback after session. Do not focus your investment on the dollars – Focus on the value and the results you will receive.