Career Counseling Update: How Does Online Coaching Work?

This is an update to my earlier post, where I described my career coaching process in detail. While I have always offered and enjoyed online coaching via phone or video, I used to meet most clients in my office. I had therefore written my earlier post assuming a regular in-person setting. Some of the coaching methods I described there, especially exercises giving the client physical cards to sort and lay out, are of course not available in a remote setting. To replace those, I have in the meantime created additional resources and career counseling tools for a remote coaching setting that I am happy to share here.

I have revised the pdf that I’ve shared before to include links to all those online coaching tools and resources. Some of the links are external resources, such as a free assessment of career values that I really like, provided by Career Services Group, Inc. Others are tools I created or adapted from card sort tasks, such as a skills matrix in a Google Spreadsheet.

Career counseling: online resources to guide your career decision

So here’s my revised outline of the coaching process and tools I like to use to help people with a career decision.

What if I can’t afford career counseling? Can I do all this by myself, without a career counselor?

Yes, in the sense that you have here all the resources I typically use. I can think of three things that may be difficult to do by yourself, but for all of those, working with a trusted friend instead of a coach can help:

1. Clarifying criteria. When I work with a clients on a career decision, the part that usually takes up most time during our meetings is the second part (what’s summarized on Page 2 of the pdf): the clarification of criteria. Reflecting deeply on what matters most to you, and what to prioritize, is a hard task. Most of us find that difficult to do by ourselves, so my recommendation is that you find someone you can talk to. For this part, I recommend finding someone who can listen well, and who is kind and non-judgmental, because you’ll want to be honest with yourself, and possibly open to discussing vulnerable aspects of yourself.
2. Exploring options. Our abilities to think creatively are severely limited if we think by ourselves. Creative conversations with an open-minded person are a very powerful tool to disrupt and enrich your thought patterns. Ideally, find someone smart and creative to talk to while you explore options! I always recommend that anyway as homework between sessions.
3. Doing the homework. A coaching setting with weekly sessions provides very natural deadlines for homework to be completed every week. Without any such structure and accountability, some people find it difficult to go through this entire process. Here too though, a friend can help: schedule regular chats or check-ins with someone who can help you take the next steps.

Share the online resources

Please feel free to share this pdf, including any of the linked documents, with anyone you think might benefit! I hope this will be a useful resource to you, whether you use by yourself, or with a friend, or wether it helps you decide to work with a coach on some of the questions. I am also happy to answer questions about it. You can schedule a chat or meeting here.

by Ursina Teuscher (PhD), at Teuscher Decision Coaching, Portland OR