How to Get FREE Career Coaching— Build a Business Case They Can't Refuse
Are you feeling stuck in your career, ready for growth opportunities, but unsure how to make it happen? Your manager may give you some advice, but they're busy and most of your one-on-ones end up focusing on work fires and priorities.
You're not alone. In today's constantly changing work landscape, navigating career advancement can feel like a maze of uncertainty.
Investing in yourself feels.... guilty?
We're told we should just know how to navigate work. We should just understand how promotions, skills, experiences, self-advocacy, growth, and continuous learning should go. Why?
As someone who's spent over 20 years in HR, I get it. Traditional career advice often misses the mark, leaving us feeling overlooked, undervalued, and uninspired.
The Power of Career Coaching.
Career coaching isn't just about polishing your resume or acing interviews (though those are important too!). It's about uncovering your strengths, furthering your skills, gaining confidence, and building strategy. Whether you're ready for a promotion, pivoting to a new industry, or just want to not feel horrible at the end of the day, coaching can be game-changing.
The benefits of coaching extend far beyond your own personal growth. When you invest in yourself, you're also investing in your team and your organization. By leveling up your skills and mindset, you become a more valuable asset, driving innovation, collaboration, and overall success within your company.
Crafting Your Case for Coaching Investment.
Many of my clients just need me to send an invoice and their human resource (HR) team then sends the payment. A lot of organizations have a policy or professional development, you fill out a form, and they either send a check or provide you reimbursement directly. I've followed that process many times in my career to get coaching, certification, and training covered by past employers.
So, how do you convince your organization to pay for career coaching? Here are a few strategies to get the ball rolling:
Speak Their Language:
Frame your request in terms of what matters most to your organization. Highlight how coaching can contribute to key objectives like employee engagement, talent retention, and bottom-line results.
Show the ROI:
Paint a picture of the potential return on investment for your company. Share success stories, cite relevant statistics, and make a compelling case for how coaching can translate into tangible outcomes for your team.
Be Bold, Be You:
Don't be afraid to make your pitch personal. Share your own career aspirations and how coaching can help you achieve them. Authenticity is key.
Follow Up:
Let's face it-- companies hate to spend money. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Follow up with your manager or HR rep, reiterate your enthusiasm, and keep the conversation going. Persistence pays off.
Making Your Move.
I've spent a lot of time building business cases for organizations to invest in their people. If your organization doesn't already include career coaching, build a business case. Show them the value of investing in you and the impact coaching will make in your career.
Here's a sample email that I've used with clients:
Hi (Name),
I'd like to request executive/career coaching to further expand my professional growth. The opportunity to grow in (list 1-3 competencies , goals or skills) will drive (list 1-3 impacts like, executive presence, team leadership, etc.)
As you know, I'm always looking for ways to grow and evolve in my role here at [Company Name]. That's why I've been exploring opportunities for career coaching, and I'm excited about the potential impact it could have on both my personal growth and our team's success.
I've done some research and found a credible coach that I aligns with my goals and our company's objectives.
Kelly Roehm is a Certified Senior HR professional and has more than 15 years of experience coaching leaders and executives to build their organizations while supporting them through their own career development. She brings a track record of supporting her clients to attain the results they want and need.
The cost to work with her is $(insert proposal cost). I would like to get started right away.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Remember, your career journey is yours to own. Invest in yourself and pursue opportunities to use available resources to move your career forward.
