I’d like to be a coach but…
Have you said this before? There are a tonne of misconceptions surrounding coaching as a career, and these misconceptions can stop those with the potential to make exceptional coaches from becoming them.
What are your reasons for resisting becoming a coach? And are they grounded in truth? Perhaps you’re thinking, I’d like to be a coach but…
There are already too many coaches out there
Everyone is a coach, right? At least, it can seem that way when you log into social media. But the truth is there aren’t nearly enough accredited coaches out there. Most clients want their coaches to be accredited, yet only 1.6% of all coaches are ICF-accredited worldwide. That means there’s a demand for accredited coaches that isn’t being met.
This demand extends into the corporate sector. You’ll find big clients, such as the NHS and FTSE 100 companies, regularly work with coaches. However, organisations such as these won’t consider working with coaches that lack accreditation. So, if you think the coaching field is saturated, you’d be right to a degree. It’s accreditation that sets you apart and unlocks doors.
I’m not convinced coaching can make a difference
A spectrum exists in the coaching world. There are coaches that use approaches rooted in science, and some that use more spiritual methods that could be considered ‘woo woo.’ Those who select science-supported approaches do make a difference.
At Optimus, we’re committed to using techniques and approaches that are supported by legitimate scientific research. Why? Because we want you to get clients results and hold an impressive track record. We know this is possible when we base our coaching on evidence and not conjecture.
I’m not business-minded enough to become a coach
The right training programme won’t just provide high-quality coach training, but it’ll also teach you about running a successful business. To flourish as a coach, you need to learn how to get clients and develop a sustainable business, or else you won’t get to do what you do best – coach!
At Optimus, our students receive business mentoring and get access to masterclasses. We also bring in veritable experts to deliver talks on different areas of business. You don’t need to be ‘business-minded.’ You just need the right training programme to break it down for you into practical steps.
I’m not sure what kind of coach I want to be
That’s OK. Many of our coaches don’t discover their niche until they’re halfway through training. And many don’t find one until much later.
Here’s what you need to know: You don’t have to have a niche as a coach. There are plenty of coaches who don’t specialise.. If you’d like to find a specific approach to work with, training helps you discover your match. Through working with a range of approaches closely, you’ll soon uncover your coaching preferences and your unique coaching style.
I’ve heard you can’t make money as a coach
This is one of the biggest misconceptions. People believe coaching cannot become a lucrative career. You’d be surprised. The International Coaching Federation found that the average salary in Western Europe was £38.5K for a qualified coach. Considering that we make more in the UK and that 90% of coaches do something alongside coaching, you could make £40-100k as an ICF-accredited coach.
In fact, you could even make more. There is no salary cap when you’re running your own coaching business. So, if you believe coaching is your calling or a career that would suit you well, what’s holding you back now?