If you’re ready to make a career change, you’ve probably thought about consulting with an expert who has experience working in your field. However, finding the right person can be difficult because there are so many career consultants near me to choose from. Use these five tips to help narrow down your search and find the right career consultant for you.
- Determine Why You Need a Consultant
Before you start searching for a career consultant, think about why you’re looking for a new job. Are you dissatisfied with your current job? Is your profession going to be affected by changes in technology? Do you want to move into a managerial role, or are you looking to become more specialized in your field?
Once you’ve determined the reasons behind why you need a new career, you’ll have more information to write down when searching for professionals. If you’re interested in finding a new job because of dissatisfaction with your employer, list “fired” as the reason when reaching out to recruiters. If you want to learn about upcoming job openings within your company, say that it is because of “new opportunities”.
- Find the Right Consultant for You
Once you have your reasons, you can also look at what type of consultant is right for you. Some professionals specialize in career advice and executive coaching. Others take on individual clients as a one-on-one coach. If you’re interested in talking to someone about the challenges of being a woman in business, reach out to a career consultant that offers coaching specifically for women.
If you’re looking for a consultant that has experience working in your profession, ask for referrals from friends and former colleagues. Ask around from people you know personally to see if any of them have hired a career consultant in your field. If you want to find consultants that have worked within your profession, check out the Career Professionals Directory by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
- Hire an Expert First
Once you have narrowed down the type of consultant that you feel most comfortable working with, ask yourself if hiring someone as a consultant is really necessary. If you would rather have a mentor, search for professional organizations in your area. If you’re interested in learning more about your field, try enrolling in college courses that teach different aspects of your field.
Contact professors at local colleges and universities to see if they offer student credit for working as an assistant. If working with a professional is out of your budget, reach out to family members and friends who might be able to introduce you to their contacts.
- Look for Someone with Personality Match
Just like finding someone who knows what they are talking about, hiring a career consultant with personality fit is also important. Asking for referrals from people that you know doesn’t guarantee that you’ll connect with them. Look for professionals that offer a free consultation so that you can gauge whether or not it is worth the cost of hiring them.
You should also communicate with your career consultant on any medium of your choice, whether it be through email, phone or via social media. If this person is going to be working with you closely, they will be someone who spends a lot of time on your mind. Therefore, make sure that they are someone you would enjoy hanging out with in person and over the internet.
- Be Patient
As with anything you’re pursuing, be patient when learning from a professional. Some professionals take longer to respond than others. Not everyone has time to give a one-on-one consultation, but reaching out to multiple career consultants will help narrow down your choice of professionals. In addition, as new referrals come in, it might take time for them to become active in your search. So remember that there is always someone out there who can provide you with the help that you need.