Virtual Career Coaching - Climb the Corporate Ladder!

• Feel your career has stalled?
• Do you want to climb the corporate ladder, but not sure how?
• Want professional career advice, but live in a remote region? 
• Curious about Virtual Career Coaching and want a solution-based approach?

Business professionals from any level: from recent college graduates to mid-level professionals can receive the support they need to manage the shifting realities of the modern labor market. Join their ranks and achieve the success you deserve!
With the rise of Social Media tools and technologies, virtual coaching is now available and affordable for a broad, cross-section of professionals. Think of a Business Career Coach as the career version of a personal trainer or fitness coach.

Career Coaching, including virtual career counseling used to be the exclusive domain of C-Suite Executives. Fortune 100-500 companies would hire hire executive career counselors to advise their best staff. This was the "secret" ingredient for success which many executives employed. However, the average professional was totally left out of the equation and didn't even have access to Business Career Coaching. It's only in the the last few years that Executive Coaches have expanded beyond their traditional client demographic. Now you can hire the top, career coaching talent regardless of where you live!

Many top business schools have expanded their career center offerings to include many online resources, job boards, virtual coaching, virtual interview preparation etc. However, these services are often only available for premium MBA programs or law school programs. The general arts or science student doesn't have this level of support built into their schooling - due to the staffing costs. Many of my working MBA students and my Global MBA students benefit from virtual career services and can easily fit this into their busy schedules. In fact, if I hadn't learned to expand my career counseling into the virtual realm, I couldn't effectively support the 600+ students on my caseload.

In my private practice, clients can access these same premium services and can benefit from the breadth of my career and employer experience. Unlike many solo, private practitioners, I work with thousands of clients. My competitive advantage is that I've worked with many professionals in your field, reviewed their credentials and advised them. I can easily tell you how you stack up to the competition and how to become more competitive. Also, working with recruiters, I can help clients understand the employers' perspective - which is essential for success.

Virtual Career Coaching - get the executive treatment without ever leaving your home!

1. Isn't career coaching just for job-seekers or people looking for work?
No. An experienced, and licensed career coach can help you with all of the phases of your career management plan. Whether you are in a new career or are a seasoned professional - you will need to take charge of your own career plan. Your employer will no longer do this for you!


2. Can a career coach help me get a promotion?
A good coach will conduct a thorough assessment of your current career situation. I often help clients assess their current strengths and weakness' and determine which areas to shore up before the next performance review. We carefully, prepare a portfolio of "proof," role play the most common scenarios, analyze the culture and review unique corporate factors in your chosen field. When preparation meets opportunity - the chances of success increase exponentially.

3. What are the advantages of Virtual Career Counseling versus face to face counseling?
You can choose the most experienced coach,  from a broad pool of providers.  You save on driving, commute time, parking, gasoline. and can meet after work hours. Typically, I like to meet with clients by phone for the first session. Once, I learn more about my clients' career needs, I can recommend a specific career package. My goal is for clients' NOT to need my services. I teach my clients how to think like a recruiter and plan their careers like a career professional. I subscribe to the "teach a man to fish" versus |"fish for them" theory of advising. For an experienced career counselor, with a good reputation - there are many, many more clients than they can ever hope to see. 

4. What do I need? I am not technologically savvy...
 • If you have a phone and a computer, you are a candidate for Virtual Career Counseling. You do not need any more technological skill, than the ability to talk on the phone, send and receive emails and search online.

5. How can clients prepare for the first session?
•Typically, I ask clients to complete an assessment. We set up a virtual session, phone session or Skype Session. In the consult, I review your career needs and time-line. As an ethical counselor, I will refer you to another professional if your needs are outside of my scope of practice and/or expertise.

6. How long will it take?
 • This will depend on the complexity of your career management needs. However, my approach is short-term and solution focused. Managing your career is an essential a skill, just like driving a car. Rather than hiring a chauffeur for life, I'll teach you how to "drive" your own career. Since the typical, North American job lasts only 2-3 years, you will need this skill over and over - in the next decade alone! I offer 4-5 session, monthly packages for the most common career issues: job search, interviewing, career testing, salary negotiations etc. 

7. What should I look for in a “Virtual Career Counselor”? You still need to review the credentials of any prospective counselor and pay particular attention to a virtual counselors social media presence. Most importantly, get to know your counselor to ensure you are a good match and can develop a strong working relationship.Not every counselor will "fit" with every client. Check out a potential counselors' cllient testimonials. See what other clients have written about them.

To find out if Virtual Career Coaching can help you contact-  Sharonbcohen@bellsouth.net

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Author: © 2010 - All Rights Reserved - Sharon B. Cohen, MA, Counseling Psychology,CPRP. Licensed Counselor. Career Counselor and Career Transition Specialist.

"Virtual Career Counseling: helping business professionals, reach their career potential!"

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