Flexibility Fosters Career Success
In today’s tough economy, the job seekers who are landing jobs are the ones who are flexible. Substantiating this statement are the numerous newspaper articles and blog posts of job seekers who have landed positions but taken a 30% cut in traditional pay, relocated to another part of the country, or shifted to an industry with greater job demand. A CareerBuilder survey found that 63% of job seekers age 55 and older who were laid off in the last 12 months applied for jobs below the level at which they were previously employed, clearly demonstrating their flexibility in response to today’s difficult employment landscape.
Contributed by Susan Britton Whitcomb, PCC, CCMC, CPCC, CJSS, MRW, NCRW, CCM
Reframing Your Career Leads To New Opportunities
Job seekers are considering positions for which they may not be a “perfect fit.” Why? Because they know that about 40% of jobs in larger organizations are filled through internal transfers and promotions. Job seekers are keeping their hopes alive by “reframing” how a less-than-perfect position might be “right” at this time as it will afford them new networking contacts, new skills, a paycheck, and more – perhaps even entry into a highly sought-after company as a stepping-stone to future career advances.
Contributed by Susan Britton Whitcomb, PCC, CCMC, CPCC, CJSS, MRW, NCRW, CCM
Group Coaching and Online Coaching Are Growing in Popularity
With consumers being cost-conscious during tough economic times, group settings make coaching more affordable for everyone. Plus, the group dynamics themselves are a bonus, giving participants the added benefit of synergistic networking relationships with other group members. In addition, corporations are beginning to offer online coaching for their employees via email, instant messaging, and other web platforms versus the more traditional voice-to-voice and face-to-face coaching methodologies.
Contributed by Susan Britton Whitcomb, PCC, CCMC, CPCC, CJSS, MRW, NCRW, CCM
Employers Are Sweetening the Pot with Recognition and Career Paths, Not Competitive Pay
According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, the trend in employee recruitment and retention is not just about money. Rather, it’s focused on potential career paths for current and future employees, expanded employee recognition programs, and more flexible work schedules. This means employees will have to think “meaning, not money” when they consider employment offers.
Contributed by Susan Britton Whitcomb, PCC, CCMC, CPCC, CJSS, MRW, NCRW, CCM
Job Seekers Shop for Coaches via Referral
The number-one source prospective clients use in selecting a coach is a referral. In a survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers for the International Coach Federation, almost half (46%) of clients who chose a coach said that personal referrals/word of mouth was the top information source in their decision. The next closest source is the coach’s website, which was used by only 20% of clients. Coaches … Heed those trends and be certain that your website is attracting your targeted clientele. And boost your visibility and expand your networking activities to become top-of-mind with potential referral sources.
Contributed by Susan Britton Whitcomb, PCC, CCMC, CPCC, CJSS, MRW, NCRW, CCM
Clients Look for Rapport, Compatibility, Confidence, and Effectiveness in Selecting a Coach
In a PriceWaterhouseCoopers survey conducted for the International Coach Federation, clients named rapport/personal compatibility (83% and 80%, respectively) as the top attribute they looked for when selecting a coach, followed closely by the coach’s confidence level (74%). In the area of how coaching is conducted, topping the list at 78% is the effectiveness of the coaching process. Coaches: Watch these trends and statistics, and then be certain to make the appropriate adjustments to your services, packages, pricing, and more.
Contributed by Susan Britton Whitcomb, PCC, CCMC, CPCC, CJSS, MRW, NCRW, CCM
