4.1 Where to look for a coach

Your workplace may offer internal or external coaching programmes – contact your Human Resources department to find out more.

If you work in a small organisation without an HR department, you could look for a coach yourself. There are several organisations that provide lists of qualified coaches. For example, ‘Coaching at Work’ offers an online ‘Coach Directory [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] ’, searchable by professional body membership or service offered. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) in the UK also has a searchable directory. Under ‘Coaching theme’ you can select ‘Job/Career Change’. To identify an international list of coaches, visit the global site for the ICF and search their coach finder tool under location.

Ask friends, relatives and colleagues for recommendations – especially if you are looking in your local area. You might be surprised by what the members of your personal network can suggest. A Google search for coaches in your location might also prove useful, but remember to check the credentials of anyone you identify.

If you’ve been inspired by what you’ve read and considered, and are thinking about stepping into the coach’s shoes, the next section will briefly explain how to do that.