Finding Life Coach Jobs & Opportunities
A Detailed Checklist

CHECKLIST

1. Have you found what kind of institutions you are interested in working with?

You should dig deep and find where your interests lie. This can include big corporations, small start-ups, life coaching businesses, or government institutions. 

If you’re interested in working hands-on with a small setup, a start-up will be the best place for you. 

If you’re more interested in spaces that are already set up and function with lots of employees, then look for bigger companies. 

If you’re interested in the type of benefits government employees avail, then look for governmental branches and institutions. 

Do you want a salaried position in an institution or do you want to freelance? 

“I’ve worked with clients from virtually every walk of life,” says Mary Allen, who calls herself ‘America’s Inner Peace Coach’. “Business owners, professionals (accountants, lawyers, engineers, doctors) and creative types (graphic designers and artists). I’ve also attracted lots of coaches, authors, speakers, and transformational leaders. I’ve worked with busy stay-at-home and working moms.” 

As you can see, almost anybody can be a potential customer — as long as they have goals they are motivated to achieve.

2. Have you found a way in which the niche you are specifically interested in can benefit potential clients and institutions? 

For instance, if you are a Health and Wellness Coach — think about the goals you’re interested in helping your clients achieve. 

Decide what you specialize in so that you can position yourself as an expert in solving a certain problem; perhaps it is to help your clients increase their immunity, eat a more healthful diet, or exercise regularly based on their targets.

Also worth thinking about is how you can enhance your skill sets according to the need of the hour, and what the gaps in the market are currently.

3. Have you looked for coaching jobs in your area or remote positions through internet searches and job boards?

There are multiple job boards on the internet like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Monster.com, Seek.com.au, Glassdoor, etc. 

Let’s look at this process in a little more detail. Say we want to use Indeed.com to find a suitable job.

Step#1: Visit the Website and Put in Your Enquiry

This part should be fairly simple. Type in a specific job title. Don’t just say “coaching,” because this is too vague. 

If your specialization is in Health and Wellness coaching, use different keywords within that to find the perfect job. All your recent searches will be stored on the website, so you’ll know which keywords you’ve already used. 

Put in the location where you want to work, too. Chances are, even if the company is based in a certain area, they might have remote options for coaching. 

So don’t stick to just your pincode. Search for as many as you like! 

Step#2: Filter Out Your Search Based on the Results

In most of the job boards, you’ll find many filters. One of the best filters to look at is the one titled “Job Categories.” 

Here, you can specify your field a little more clearly — whether it’s health, personal, career coaching, etc. The other important one is “Job Types.” 

Here you can specify whether you are looking for a full-time position, internship, or contract. 

You can specify what kind of experience level you want to work with, as well. Since you’re just starting out, choosing entry-level will be best. 

You can also click on the heart to “like” a certain job; this will be stored in the server. Your job search will also tell you when each job was posted, and what the expected salary is. 

Try out a search and slowly fill in the filters and see what you get!

Step #3: Click on A Job You Like and Read the Fine Print

When you click on a job you like, you can read the full job description, requirements, benefits, and tasks. Read this thoroughly and see if it matches your interests and skill level.

Step #4: Start Applying

For any of the job boards you use, you will have to make an account to start applying for a job. 

For all your applications, you’ll get a place to attach your CV and Cover letter. We’re going to circle back to this in just a moment.

4. Ask for referrals from people who already work at the organization you’re hoping to get hired at 

This is an effective way of looking for jobs. Here’s how you go about it:

Step 1: Send a friend/connection request on LinkedIn or social media.

Step 2: Enquire about what it’s like to work at their company. Here’s a template you can edit and use:

Step 3: Once the person responds, you can ask them whether it would be possible for them to refer you to someone in the hiring department internally.

Simple, right? 

You can start by looking out for people within your community — as they say, it is indeed about who you know.

5. Have you prepared by setting realistic targets of what to expect from a job when you’re just starting out?

This includes your expectation of a salary, your hours, benefits, and the type of clients. 

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get the highest possible salary in the first go, but also remember not to undersell yourself. 

Setting realistic targets goes hand-in-hand with optimizing your search on job boards. 

It’s important to assess your worth in the profession with a clear mind. Remember — the more experience you have, the more exclusive and well-paid you can be.

6. Have you got a pitch ready for yourself, along with a customized CV and cover letter? 

Along with your CV and cover letter, which we’ll discuss in greater detail shortly, it’s important to always have a pitch ready. This would include your experience, your certification, and your niche. 

Think of it as a clever “elevator pitch”. 

Go the extra mile. Print business cards and always keep them handy when you attend to your community or offline networks. 

Strike up conversations with people. And don’t just talk about yourself — ask other people questions, too.

7. Have you looked up the careers pages of different govt and corporate organizations? Can you think of custom proposals for them and how to set up an inquiry? 

Government organizations are a good starting point and will probably lead you to a huge part of your niche. 

There are also many perks that come with government positions, which can benefit your overall lifestyle. 

As Success Coach Melanie Pritchard aptly quoted in her LinkedIn article, “Workers at all levels of the corporate ladder are enlisting coaches for guidance on how to improve their performance, boost their profits, and make better decisions about everything from personnel to strategy.”

8. Have you optimized your use of online and offline presence to look for jobs, specifically with your mentor?

We’ve covered the importance of building and expanding your online and offline networks in the earlier section already. But you have to keep thinking of it strategically.

Have you found a mentor? Can your mentor help you take the next few steps and help you plan an effective strategy?

9. Have you tried to make strategic partnerships with other members from your niche?

Sometimes this can be as simple as sending them a friend request or following them and dropping them a message. Don’t be shy!

10. Have you looked at coaching providers? 

Here’s a list of coaching platforms, updated in 2020. 

On to the paperwork