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Introduction – What Every Job Seeker Must Know

It’s important to define what a job search coach is and be on the same page regarding expectations and results. 

Simply put, a job search coach’s role is to train the job seeker to out-perform their competition in the job market.

Who uses coaches anyway?

In many occupations the use of a coach to help people craft their skill and achieve extra-ordinary success is a given. Unfortunately in the “corporate world” it is often misunderstood and therefore most people lose out on the advantages that a coach can bring to their career. Here are some examples that I hope will open your mind.

Professional golfers – Almost all of the top professional golfers use a coach. One of the most talked about coaching relationships recently has been Tiger Woods.

Professional Football players – Yes, every major professional sports team has a large number of coaches. However, the top players almost all have their own special coach, and in some cases more than one. One might be a strength coach, another a techniques coach, etc. Examples include The Manning brothers (Peyton and Eli)

Professional Tennis Players – One of the top tennis players in the world is Serena Williams who has used a professional coach.

Actors and Actresses – Every aspiring actor/actress as well as the stars use professional coaches throughout their careers.

The Executive Suite – Most senior executives have or continue to use career coaches during their career. This help is now available for most anyone now.

Today, there are job search coaches available for very reasonable rates and who can offer help for any level of job seeker.

The ROI (rate of return) for fees paid can be substantial and that is something often overlooked by those who are very reluctant to pay for coaching guidance.

In fact, the ROI for using a job search coach over the span of a career can often be literally well into 7 figures!

Should you use a coach?

Never, ever use a job search coach if you fall into the following 2 categories:

1. If you’re close minded and/or unwilling to think outside the box, lazy, and/or willing to try new approaches during a job search.
2. If you’re having great success in finding the top jobs, getting multiple interviews and highly competitive job offers, you probably don’t need a job search coach.

If you don’t fit into either of the above categories, you will greatly benefit from using a job search coach.

You likely exhibit most if not all of the following 8 traits:

1. You want to be among the best in your chosen profession.
2. You love learning new things and approaches to solving complex issues.
3. You don’t respond “that will never work” when first introduced to a new idea or approach.
4. You are willing to work daily on your job search and do what it takes to succeed.
5. You have at least semi-thick skin and respond positively to coaching direction that may not always be what you’d like to hear.
6. You are willing to include the research methods your coach recommends and incorporate that into your job search strategy and tactics.
7. You realize that you need to always be learning and exposing yourself to further education, training and new ideas and you’re willing to invest your time and at least modest financial resources to benefit your career.
8. You’re open to a discussion with a job search coach in order to conduct a free diagnostic review of your current or planned job before making up your mind.

Here is what a job search coach can do for you

First, the coach never, ever plays the game for you.

This is commonly misunderstood by those who are considering using a job search coach.

I’ve had many people refer to what I do as “finding me a job.” That is not the role of your coach. This would be akin to the coach actually playing your role. Remember, the coach never plays the game for you. Instead he/she coaches you to excellence in how you play the game. In this case, the “game of job search.”

A job search coach in not a recruiter (although they should have been a recruiter or may even still be a recruiter). Recruiters are paid by client companies to find candidates for their job vacancies, not find jobs for job seekers. That is a big difference and something often misunderstood by job seekers.

What your coach does do is “coach you” in every element of the job search process. This includes many things such as:

• Showing you job search tools that are available that you may not be aware of
• Critiquing and helping you improve your job search approach
• Creating a resume that is more likely to result in interviews
• Finding and exploring “hidden jobs”
• How to bypass the resume “black hole”
• Showing you how to discover and get in front of the real hiring managers who can make the decision to hire
• Conducting practice interview sessions along with critiques
• Being a strategist during your interview process and salary negotiations
• Being an encourager and guide through the often treacherous waters of the job search process

If you’ve ever played sports, you know that sometimes the coach takes a softer approach and other times he/she will take more of a “kick the seat of your pants” approach. A good coach knows when to use either extreme, or something in the middle.

You may not always like what the coach says, or the tone of the way it is said, but a good coach cares about you and your success. He/she has the expertise of having been through the job search process many more times that you have. This includes multiple industries, job titles, etc.

You and only you are accountable for your career success.

Carl Bradford’s coaching approach

“My personal coaching methods teach you how to develop a personal brand so compelling you likely never have to search for a job again.”

That’s my goal for a coaching relationship.

I adopt all of the methods briefly described above and many others as well.

I will not find a job for you. I will help you find the job and I will always be alongside, coaching as you move toward success in the hiring process.

This will include requiring that you above all be open minded, willing to work hard, conduct research the way I recommend, prepare a resume using my format, learn how to interview and how to professionally ask for the job offer among other things.

I will coach you every step of the way. And on the rare occasion that I don’t have an immediate answer to a specific situation, I’ll reach out to my professional colleagues to get their thoughts before we mutually decide on a tactic or strategy.

I have a collection of tools, technology, documents and related information and over 40 years of being in the job search trenches that we’ll use during our sessions.

Carl Bradford’s professional background

Yes, I have been in the job search trenches as a recruiter for over 40 years. I have been a corporate Human Resources Director with international responsibilities and for the past 25 years an external executive/technical recruiter working in a variety of different industries.

My competitive advantage

I currently am the sole individual who is certifying corporate recruiters and their departments as well as their hiring managers in the highly acclaimed Performance Based Recruiting methods developed by Lou Adler.

This means I train and coach these recruiters through 4 case studies that involve their current recruiting activities. This includes every industry, every type of job title/skill for both profit and non-profit organizations.

This allows me visibility into what is very current in terms of what is happening on the other side of the job selection process. Think: what happens when you apply for a job.

I can effectively reverse engineer a process for you. My experience on the HR side, the executive recruiter side and the unique side of training the same people who will review your resume and evaluate you during interviews is something very few coaches can bring to your career success.

Can I afford Carl Bradford as my coach?

Everyone is different. Obviously you don’t work for free and I don’t either, however I am in a position in my life where my rates can be more than fair and competitive.

I can structure a package that makes sense for you and this means that the fees are based on your needs and budget. Everyone is unique in my opinion and deserves something other than a “cookie cutter” approach to coaching.

If for any reason, I don’t think I can help you be more successful in your job search, I’ll tell you during our free diagnostic discussion of your job search (see offer below). My hard won reputation is too important to me to do otherwise.

Carl’s offer: A free job search diagnostic discussion

I use a diagnostic list of 18 questions that will help us mutually explore if I can be of help to you. This consists of a phone discussion where I take a consultative approach to understand your current or planned job search. This is available as part of my Gold and Platinum membership.

At the end of that discussion I’ll give you my honest opinion of whether I can help further and if so, how.

I’ll explain exactly how we would get started, define mutual expectations and provide you with additional insights into exactly what I have in mind. At that point, the ball is in your court to decide if my coaching is the right thing for you.

How to schedule your free consult with Carl Bradford

If you’re interested in learning more, just email me and provide me with a few days and times that you are available for a discussion.