A Journey Designed Around You
Every coaching conversation is different because every individual, situation and career goal is different. What follows is a broad framework — not a rigid formula.
Your Situation Is Unique. Your Coaching Journey Should Be Too.
To be fair, the phrase “Coaching Process” may be slightly inappropriate. For each coachee — the person receiving the coaching — the experience will be different. Every individual's needs are different, and so are their issues. There is no rigid formula for coaching.
Every individual's needs are different, and so are their issues.
From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be
Coaching helps create clarity around your current situation, your desired direction and the practical steps between the two.
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01
Understand
Share the background and context.
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02
Define the need
Clarify why you want coaching.
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03
Discover
Explore routes to where you want to be.
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04
Prepare
Identify what the journey may need.
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05
Assess readiness
Reflect on will, desire and motivation.
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06
Take action
Decide the next steps you will take.
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07
Follow through
Review progress and adapt.
What Happens At Each Stage
Understand The Context
The first step is to understand the context for the coaching interaction. You share the background relevant to the topic being discussed. This may include:
- Career history
- Current situation
- Professional challenge
- Personal context relevant to the decision
The coach may ask questions to gain additional clarity.
Your story comes first. Questions follow to make it clearer.
Define What You Want To Change
The next step is to understand why you are seeking coaching. The need could involve:
- A problem
- A dilemma
- A career decision
- A professional goal
- A desired future state
What would you like to be different?
Discover The Way Forward
Once the background and intent are clear, the discovery phase begins. The coach and coachee begin defining the journey from where the individual is today to where they would like to be.
There may be several possible routes. Coaching is a collaborative exploration of those routes and how each might work for you.
Prepare For The Journey
Before the journey begins, the coachee needs to understand what preparation may be required.
Assess Your Readiness
Achieving a goal also requires the willingness, motivation and commitment to take action.
Simple questions or relevant checklists may be used to help you reflect on where you stand.
Take The Next Step
The coaching interaction concludes, for now, with the next steps that the coachee will take based on the discussion.
Clarity becomes useful when it leads to action.
Review, Adapt & Keep Moving
Subsequent interactions may help ensure that things are progressing as planned.
If new roadblocks appear, the coach can help the coachee explore possible solutions and move forward.
What Does A Coaching Conversation Feel Like?
It is a collaboration. The coach does not make decisions for you — you work out your own way forward, together.
Listen
The coach listens carefully to understand your situation without bias.
Question
Thoughtful questions bring clarity and uncover new possibilities.
Explore
Different career angles, approaches, and scenarios are considered.
Decide
You define and commit to your own practical, actionable way forward.
Every Journey Needs A Direction
- 1Where you are
- 2What you want
- 3What may be in the way
- 4What you need
- 5What you will do
- 6Where you want to go
The Principles Behind The Process
Personalized
Your coaching experience is tailored completely around your situation.
Collaborative
The coach and coachee work together as equal thought partners.
Practical
Every dialogue is anchored in useful, real-world execution.
Adaptable
The roadmap evolves as real feedback and challenges emerge.
What Do People Come To GetCoached.in For?
Each case is unique, yet there are commonalities across them. Here are some typical scenarios we handle. This is by no means an exhaustive list — your situation may be totally different.
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Roadmap To Get Rich
I want to earn a lot of money and become wealthy in the next 6 years. Guide me to develop a roadmap (what I need to do) to achieve my goal.
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Retirement
I have crossed the typical retirement age, but I wish to extend my career and do something more. What do you suggest I should do?
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Powerful Resume
Despite all my efforts, I am not getting shortlisted for interviews. Someone told me that my resume is not strong enough. This being my first job change after so many years, I am not sure how to portray myself in order to get selected. Can you help me develop a powerful resume?
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Housewife – Back To Work
I was working till I had to take care of the family. My children have now grown up and I wish to return to corporate life. How do I go about doing this?
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Getting Promoted
I feel that my performance is not getting rewarded in terms of growth. For my experience, I should be at the next level. What do I need to do to get that promotion?
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Change Of Career Track
My present job requires me to travel a lot and be away from my home town. My family now wants me to be with them and this means that I need to do something locally. Considering my educational qualifications and experience, what is it that I need to do to make this happen?
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Behavior Change
My manager has given feedback that I need to improve my leadership skills. I realize that my team does not respect me, and my techniques of man management are not well accepted. For me to grow in the organization, I need to win the confidence of my manager and subordinates. What do I need to do to achieve this transformation in my behavior?
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Interview Fears
I have been doing fairly well in my organization and have several accomplishments too. I am looking for a change to be a part of a larger organization. However, I have not been successful in getting past the interview stage in the organizations I approached. I guess I am not coming across as very confident in front of the interviewers and this affects their perception about my abilities. Can you help me improve the way I present myself and enhance my chances of getting selected?
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Career Gap
I have not been working anywhere for the past 2 years. I am having difficulty in getting a job as employers are not comfortable about the gap in my career. Can you assist me to come out of this problem? Also, till I get the right job, what do you suggest for me to do?
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Move From Business To Job
My business is not doing well, and I need to earn a steady income by way of doing a job. However, I realized that I don't have any relevant job-related skills that people will hire me for – that is because my business did not require me to have any special skills other than what I need to know about my business. What should I do?
Have a situation that is not listed here? Start with a conversation and explain what you are working through.
Talk To The CoachThe Top 7 Coaching Myths
Career coaching is a relatively new area for most people, and this can lead to misconceptions. These myths may give you a better perspective on what coaching is — and what it is not.
1MythCoaching is the same as training or teaching, just another name!
While many people use the term coaching and teaching/training interchangeably, they are not one and the same. Coaching is about facilitation, where the coach helps individuals to learn or perform by themselves. Coaching is more like a sounding board, providing feedback when required. Coaches help individuals explore possibilities.
Teachers focus on passing knowledge to students and making them understand the subject. Trainers enable individuals with certain skills, using their expertise – typically through hands-on and classroom sessions.
2MythCoaching is a time-consuming activity!
This is not necessarily true. The duration of coaching depends on the need of the individual. Coaching sessions can be as short as 30 minutes, where a specific problem is discussed and the coach helps the individual arrive at a suitable solution. However, it can be quite longer if it has to do with a behavioral transformation. Sportspersons can engage coaches throughout their career to help them perform better.
At GetCoached.in we have had coaching sessions from 45 minutes to 2 hours. In a few cases (especially for mock interviews), individuals needed a second session to develop that extra confidence in themselves.
3MythCoaching is expensive!
It is possible that some coaches may charge you Rs. 2000/- or more for a single session. Some coaching service providers require you to take a coaching “package” which is upwards of Rs. 5000/-. However, you don't have to worry about that at GetCoached.in. Our fees are very reasonable, considering the target audience and the fact that such a service is a relatively new concept for most people.
As you would realize, a family visit to the cinema or an hour spent consulting a doctor is likely to cost you more than a 1 hour session through GetCoached.in! This is besides the fact that the guidance from the coach is going to directly help you in your job and overall career progression! See the Fees page for details.
4MythThe coach needs to have industry-specific and technical expertise in my area to guide me
This statement would be true if you are thinking about a specialist trainer or technical consultant for your technical area or domain. However, a coach does not need to be from your field. He/she needs to understand you as a person, provide you with possibilities or options, and help you take your decisions and plan for the future.
Consider this: if you are having a particular issue for which you need help from a coach, it is very likely that the same issue would be faced by others from different domain and technical backgrounds. In such cases, the focus is the ability to address the issues, and not the technical or industry background.
5MythIf I discuss my issues with the coach, it will be known to others!
If you trust a doctor for your health issues, a lawyer for your legal issues and a CA for your tax matters, you can also trust a coach with your work-related issues. A primary principle in coaching is confidentiality. Without this, it is difficult for any coach to win the trust of clients.
At GetCoached.in, your name and your specific issues will not be shared or discussed with anyone else. Believe it, coaches have nothing to gain, and only stand to lose, if they were to disclose confidential information.
6MythCoaching is only meant for people with problems / issues!
While many individuals approach coaches with their problems, there are many others who seek the help of coaches to create new possibilities, alternatives and options. Coaching is about making your life better and making you more successful. While it does help to have a goal to chase, coaching can also help you identify your goals and work with you to plan your progress.
7MythIf I am meeting a coach, it may seem that there is something wrong with me!
A lot of individuals get this as their first feeling when they are offered coaching – Am I a poor performer? Am I not capable of finding my own way? Rest assured, coaching is not meant for poor performers only. Coaching provides you a mirror, a different perspective to understand yourself better. Coaches help people to perform better, irrespective of their current performance levels.
While you may be capable of finding your own way forward, there are chances that you may take more effort to do so, or take a longer route. That is where the coach can help. Many organizations hire external coaches for their top performers, as a form of reward. At the same time, a tremendous improvement is seen when coaching is provided for underperformers.
Links and Resources on the Web
GetCoached.in has searched across hundreds of sites and shortlisted a few of them, just for you. All sites open in a new browser window. To recommend additional sites, please Contact Us.
Note: GetCoached.in does not endorse, nor take any responsibility for, incorrect or inappropriate content on these websites.
Visual CV
- Visual CV (opens in a new tab)
Online CV builder using various themes.
Games
- Career Game (opens in a new tab)
Matches personality to general career areas, with a brief description of both.
- Career Interests Game (opens in a new tab)
Helps you match your interests and skills with similar careers, and think about how your personality will fit specific work environments.
Tests & Tools (Assessments)
- The RHETI Sampler (opens in a new tab)
A free Enneagram test (Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator) to discover your type among the nine basic personality types.
- Know Your Own Mind (opens in a new tab)
A free personality test based on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, for a wide-ranging analysis of your personality.
- Online Career Tests from JobHuntersBible (opens in a new tab)
Figuring out a career through taking tests (assessments).
- Jung Typology Test (opens in a new tab)
Gives you your type formula, the strength of each preference, a description of your type, and a list of suitable career choices.
- VIA Me! Character Strengths Profile (opens in a new tab)
Helps you discover the strengths you already have and what makes you who you are.
- Practice Tests for Job Selection (opens in a new tab)
16 free practice tests that show what to expect during actual job selection.
- MAPP Test to Assess Personal Potential (opens in a new tab)
Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential: measures potential and motivation for areas of work, temperament, aptitude, vocational interests and learning style.
- Keirsey Temperament Sorter (opens in a new tab)
A widely used 70-question personality instrument that helps you discover your personality type.
- Big Five Personality Test (opens in a new tab)
Measures openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism — the most widely accepted scientific measures of personality.
- Career Exploration Tool (opens in a new tab)
Find jobs that suit your skills, knowledge, abilities and interests, and read job descriptions to confirm your choice.
Insights, Advice, Guides and Tips
- Career Tips from CareerBuilder (opens in a new tab)
US-oriented, but the tips and guidance are useful anywhere.
- 1367 Career Hints and Tips on Pinterest (opens in a new tab)
Though it is for media jobs, the tips are useful across industries.
- 28 Career Exploration Tips on Pinterest (opens in a new tab)
A lot of images on career topics by Casey Clark.
- Career Planning Tips from The Balance Careers (opens in a new tab)
Articles on education, training, job decisions, career changes and more.
- Career Transition and Career Management Articles (opens in a new tab)
From Career Lab.
- Career Resources Toolkit (opens in a new tab)
Free career development resources on every major job-search and career topic.
- Career Advice on Various Topics (opens in a new tab)
Careers.org advice resources, from newspaper columns to interview recommendations.
- Mind Techniques (opens in a new tab)
30+ techniques to increase your self-esteem and influence.
- Job Search Advisor (opens in a new tab)
Tips and guidelines for finding employment.
- Performance Typology (opens in a new tab)
A graphical, interactive concept map on what drives performance.
- Discovering Your Life Purpose (opens in a new tab)
An article that helps you understand the concept of “Purpose of Life”.
- 12 Tips for Personal Career Growth (opens in a new tab)
Techniques and tactics from Xerox for personal growth.
- Career Advice Articles (opens in a new tab)
Careerpath.com articles on interview tips, handling retrenchment and career success.
- Resume & Cover Letter Tips (opens in a new tab)
Susan Ireland's free tips and samples for resumes and cover letters.
- What to Beware of in Searching for Job Vacancies (opens in a new tab)
Articles on job search by Jack Bolles.
- More Articles for Job Hunters (opens in a new tab)
More articles from Jack Bolles.
- Career Coach Articles (opens in a new tab)
Recommendations for Books to Read
- Books Recommended by CareerCoach (opens in a new tab)
- Books Recommended by Your Career Success Blog (opens in a new tab)
- Books by Dick Bolles (opens in a new tab)
Author of What Color Is Your Parachute?
Best Books or Summaries for Career Growth (Read Online)
- Atomic Habits by James Clear (opens in a new tab)
- So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport (opens in a new tab)
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (opens in a new tab)
- The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins (opens in a new tab)
- The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo (opens in a new tab)
- Start With Why by Simon Sinek (opens in a new tab)
Templates
- Job Search Related Templates (opens in a new tab)
Templates for your resume, portfolio, application tracking and more.
Guidance When The Path Isn't Clear
GetCoached.in provides a structured environment where individuals can discuss their career situations, explore possibilities and work toward a practical way forward.
Not Sure Where To Start?
You don't need to have everything figured out before beginning a coaching conversation.
