For many people, cancer is inspiration for career change. But transitioning to a new field isn’t always easy. Often, the hardest part is deciding what, exactly, you want to do. This is where a career coach can be incredibly helpful, but it’s important to make sure you’re working with the right coach for you. 

A recent article by The Muse explains how a career coach can be a game changer if you’re ready for a change but aren’t sure how to approach it. If you’re considering working with a coach or have even started to look for one, you will find that there are tons of career coaches out there. Instead of choosing at random, you should spend time thinking through what your needs are, in order to find someone who is a good fit for you. 

One of the main recommendations in the article is to read the coaches’ work; many of them have blogs or have been published. Read what they’ve written and see which ones resonate with you.

The article also recommends asking yourself the following questions, to help determine what kind of coach you’d work well with:

1. What type of person do you work best with?

2. Who can help with your specific situation?

3. How much do you want to spend?

We have a section on our website, Ask a Career Coach, where patients and survivors can write in with specific questions and our coaches will write back with answers. This is a great option if you have a particular issue or question. And because our coaches generously volunteer their time, the advice is free!

But if you need more comprehensive advice, it might be time to seek out a coach who can actually sit down with you and help you create a more detailed plan. 

To write to the Cancer and Careers coaches, click here.

To read the full Muse article, click here.