As you read the word 'coach' what springs to mind? An athlete or footballer? A film about a 1950s high school?? Perhaps all of the above, but if I were to talk about someone getting a life or career coach, in my experience you probably think about a Chief Executive or a Board Member. 

I can understand why people think that a coach is only for senior management. Yes, its true CEOs may have challenging jobs and may not feel comfortable talking to their boss (often the Chairman) or someone connected to their company about big decisions or how to improve their work and life balance. But isn't that true of anyone? We all have questions, decisions and issues we might want to explore but don't want to talk about it in the office for fear of being judged or risking that potential promotion.

I am willing to bet that a lot of people can relate to those feelings, but only a small percentage will have ever considered getting a coach. I know that a coach telling people to get one, may not sound surprising, but having been both the coachee and the coach, I know what it can deliver.

That's why coaching is on the rise. The financial value of the coaching industry has been growing rapidly over the past few years and some reports estimate it to be worth around one billion dollars a year in the United States alone.  

Yes, getting coaching costs, but what is the real cost of missing out on that job or the next career opportunity? Most people would say job and life satisfaction is priceless.  Getting a coach won't guarantee you getting everything you want, but a good one will put you in the best place to know what it is, and then how to look and find it.