Coaching Information

How to Hire a Coach


Improve Your Life! How to Hire A Coach.

A reader writes, "I do not know how or where to contact a coach here. What kind of background should a good coach have?"

Perhaps others of you wondered the same thing. Hiring a coach takes some investigation on your part but according to the February issue of "Fast Company" magazine there are 20,000 coaches in the world so locating one isn't going to be difficult. (See below for a link to the Fast Company article.) If you want a coach in your country that is definitely possible since coaching is a worldwide profession. That said however many coaches coach on the telephone so you are not limited to coaches in your country.

Where do you look for a coach? My favorite way of finding anything I need is to ask others who have had experience with it. So to find a coach I would ask my friends who their coach is. If that doesn't work then there are directories of coaches on the web. A few such websites are: and .

You will need to have some search criteria to find the coach that is right for you. If your issues are work related you might want a business coach, a career coach, an executive coach or a corporate coach. If you have personal issues, you might want a personal coach, a life coach or a relationship coach. Another search criteria might be your country if you prefer to be coached by someone there.

The International Coach Federation, an association for coaches, suggests that people interview at least 3 coaches before deciding on one coach. That said I think what is most important is your trust and connection with your coach. If you call one coach and your intuition tells you this is the coach for you, then hire him or her. The one thing I do know is that you must believe that the coach can help you for the coaching to work. It is the coaching relationship that is most important.

Before you decide on which coaches to interview, go to their website if they have one and get a feel for the coach. Subscribe to his/her newsletter or read articles in the archives of the website. It will help you to understand where the coach is coming from and if his/her values align with yours. Finally many coaches give Teleclasses. This is a great way to "put your toe in the water" without a huge financial commitment.

Coaches come from many diverse backgrounds. There are former therapists, educators, and business people. Depending on your need one background may be more appropriate for you.

Some coaches have additional training as a coach. Rather than telling the client what to do, the coach's role is to help the client to find his/her own path. Coach training programs give the coach the tools and resources to guide and motivate the client without pushing him/her. The advantage of having a trained coach is that he/she has no agenda other than to help you succeed.

For the interview you will want a list of questions that will help you to decide if this is the coach for you. (See below for a way to receive a list of questions to ask.) Let the coaches know your expectations and needs so that they can have a chance to tell you if they can meet them.

Finally be sure to discuss the fee with the coach. You must feel that the benefit of coaching is worth the cost of the coach and that you can easily afford that fee without cutting back on necessities.

Take Action

1. Ask friends about coaches they or any of their acquaintances use.

2. Search and http://www.coachfederation.org for names of coaches to interview.

3. What kind of help are you looking for? Make a list of questions you would like to ask the coach. I have a list of questions that used to be on the CoachU website. If you would like the list, send an email to with "Coach Questions" as the subject.

4. Interview the coaches and let me know the result!

5. Read "Are You Being Coached?" from this month's Fast Company magazine

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. Parker specializes in helping professionals create a career that is fun, fulfilling and profitable. Alvah is found on the web at http://www.asparker.com. She may also be reached at 781-598-0388.


MORE RESOURCES:

USA TODAY (blog)

Coaches Agree; It's a Tough One
New York Times
You are coaching the team that is on offense and is trailing, 17-15. Both teams have one timeout left. What do you instruct your players to do? DAN REEVES Former coach of the Giants, the Broncos and the Falcons “No question, I would use the clock and ...
Patriots players, coach, fans ask 'what if?'Worcester Telegram
Manning, Coughlin hitting stride as Giants' coach-quarterback tandemThe Oshkosh Northwestern
Super Bowl Champion Coach Started Career in WNYWROC-TV
SB Nation -USA TODAY (blog) -Bleacher Report
all 20,139 news articles »


USA TODAY

Charleston coach Cremins says he was physically exhausted
USA TODAY
20, 2011, file photo, Charleston coach Bobby Cremins signals to his players during the first half of their NCAA college basketball game against Louisville, in Louisville, Ky. By Timothy D. Easley, AP In this Dec. 20, 2011, file photo, Charleston coach ...
Cougars' Cremins says physical exhaustion, doctor's advice led him to step ...Washington Post
What does C of C do post-Cremins?Charleston Post Courier
Bobby Cremins: 'Team play has lifted my spirits'Live 5 News

all 47 news articles »


Globe and Mail

Rough day as coaches hit the deck
Winnipeg Free Press
Add coach Lindy Ruff to the list. Ruff sustained three broken ribs in what was described as "a freak accident" after he was upended by defenceman Jordan Leopold in practice on Monday. In revealing the extent of the coach's injuries, ...
Sabres Practice Update: Lindy Ruff Suffers Three Broken Ribs In Practice CollisionDie By The Blade

all 135 news articles »


Bleacher Report

Tampa Bay Bucs Struggle to Assemble Coaching Staff: Fan's Look
Yahoo! Sports
Contributor Network 1 hour, 53 minutes ago Besides prior flirtation with another college coach in Chip Kelly of Oregon, few predicted that the Bucs would target the former head coach of Rutgers University. Indeed, during the lengthy search to replace ...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Still Silent on Assistant Coaching PossibilitiesBleacher Report
Buccaneers Coaching Staff Search: Florida's Dan Quinn Turns Down Job ...SB Nation
Am I Missing Something?The Pewter Plank
National Football Post -Pewter Report -Bucs Nation (blog)
all 29 news articles »


CBSSports.com

Belichick: Really enjoyed coaching team
ESPN (blog)
Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed reporters upon the team's return to Gillette Stadium today, and acknowledged that it was nice to receive a warm welcome from fans. "It was great to see our fans out there, that were here, to be here when the ...
Belichick, Wesleyan '75, Coaching to Make (More) History TonightPatch.com
Belichick is 'real proud' of 2011 Patriots teamCBSSports.com (blog)
Klis: Belichick win gives Lombardi competition for all-time bestDenver Post
National Post
all 93 news articles »


The Daily Jeffersonian

Billy Donovan, John Calipari coaching 'em up on hardwood
Florida Times-Union
AP Florida head coach Billy Donovan calls out a play during the first period against Texas A&M on Dec. 17. Don't miss a second of the action when you're away from your computer. Download our Gators app by searching "Jacksonville.com Gators" in your ...
Calipari and the Cats wary of Florida's 3-point shooting, peaking too earlyCoachCal.com

all 126 news articles »


Deaf swim coach teaching lessons beyond the pool
The Seattle Times
By Sandy Ringer Coach Michael Dobner, who has been deaf since birth, addresses his Kentridge High School swimmers. Interpreter Kim Toffstad, right, often assists. Coach Michael Dobner gets through to his Kentridge High School swimmers using a variety ...

and more »


Bleacher Report

Harbaugh, Coach of the Year, Has 49ers Built for the Long Run
NBC Bay Area
By Doug Williams Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers was voted the NFL's Coach of the Year. The question now is, was Harbaugh's coaching magic a one-time wave of the magic wand, or will that magic have staying power?
NFL Coach of the Year: Ranking the 5 Coaches Who Most Deserve TitleBleacher Report
49ers' Jim Harbaugh wins coaching honorChicago Tribune

all 312 news articles »


San Francisco Chronicle

Raiders hire Jason Tarver as def. coordinator
San Francisco Chronicle
Jason Tarver spent 10 seasons with the 49ers before joining head coach David Shaw's staff at Stanford last year. After reportedly striking out with five other candidates for their defensive-coordinator job, the Raiders turned to a man with a master's ...
Oakland Raiders Take Another Coaching Risk In Hiring Jason Tarver To ...SB Nation
Football: Co-coordinator Tarver leaving to run Raiders' defenseThe Stanford Daily
Tarver hire could mean new defensive scheme in OaklandThoughts from the Dark Side
Silver and Black report -Bleacher Report -Just Blog Baby (blog)
all 157 news articles »


After lots of coaching failures, Bulls got right guy in Tom Thibodeau
Chicago Sun-Times
Thibs was born to be a hoops coach. Take the job away from him, and what would be left? Two lidless eyeballs? A puddle? June 23, 2010. ''We talked to coaches, players, everyone. It was evident Tom was really a fit for us and the philosophy of the ...

and more »

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