by David Wood

So you're considering a career as a life, business or corporate coach, but wondering what's the best way to enter the field?

Do I need to do a training course? Do I need to get accredited? Where will I get clients, and do I have what it takes?

Most coaches agree on the best way to begin a coaching career: Work with someone who already is a coach! Simple eh?

In other words, work a month or two with a Coach; someone who has already built the type of business or career you want to have, and who can then help you do the same.

Only faster and more efficiently!

Here are the key steps:

   1.      Interview 2-3 coaches to find out more about the career and lifestyle you would be getting into.

They can tell you the good and the bad; how easy, or difficult it is, and ...... how they got started.

   2.      Hire a coach and experience coaching for yourself. But don't get coached on Becoming a Coach.

Not just yet. Be coached on something else you want to achieve, or something you want to alter in your life. This will give you the best feel for whether or not this is the career for you.

It's actually the best training you can get. Training from a live course, teleclass or book is great. But there's no substitute for the experience of personally being coached, and seeing how an experienced coach moves you forward.

    For a list of mentor coaches and links to their web pages, visit www.coachstart.com/Mentor.htm

   3.      Once you've decided to go ahead, consider professional coach training. This will give you resources, insights, tools and support.

It will also help you to build your coach network; other coaches you can call on for help and advice. We'll profile coach training schools in a later issue. For now, suffice it to say you should pick a school which has happy, successful coaches.

Do you require face to face training, or want the flexibility of teleclass (phone conference calls) training? And shop around - prices vary. For a list of training schools, visit www.becomeacoach.com

   4.      Work with a coach to build your practice. Some people skip Step 3 and jump straight to working with a coach to enter the industry.

People in this category are usually those with existing transferable skills (e.g. counselling, or a lot of personal development training), or people short on cash, and wanting to generate some revenue from coaching before they invest in a proper training course.

A coach can help you avoid common mistakes, and build your practice faster, and with less effort than you would on your own.

   5.      What business systems do you need in place? Where will you find clients? How will you keep your clients? And how do you keep your chin up when you lose three in one day!?

In future issues [of the newsletter], we'll examine the different training options, provide tips on selecting a mentor coach, discuss the importance of accreditation, and publish interviews with new and experienced coaches.

* * *

Enjoy!

~ ~ ~

David Wood is a Professional Life Coach, and author of the powerful Free Download: 50 Life Coaching Questions to Take Control of Your Life and Help Your Clients

He helps coaches, consultants, speakers and trainers to build their businesses via his popular ebooks: "10 Super Coaches Share Their Secrets" and The CoachStart Manual.

~ ~ ~