What should you ask before hiring a life coach?
You are taking an awesome first step!
Make sure that you get what you need from any coaching relationship.
So, you're ready to find a life coach but you have no idea how to pick the right one for you. Most coaches offer free discovery sessions to see if you are a fit. These range anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Having some questions prepared to get clear on finding the best coach for you will give you a much better shot.
Questions you can ask:
What specific areas do you focus on?
A great life coach will ask you questions to help you find out your answers. If you're looking for someone who speaks the same "language" as you this will help you shortcut explaining things that aren't necessary. For example, if you're in finance you might connect more with a business coach than someone who primarily coaches artists.
What will I get from working with you?
Is there anything you don't work on?
Better to find this out early on. If you need coaching around moving on from grief and the coach isn't comfortable with it, you may end up feeling unsupported or hurt by the conversation.
Are you ICF (International Coach Federation) accredited?
Anyone can call themselves a coach. But ICF-credentialed coaches are professionals who have met stringent education and experience requirements and have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the coaching competencies that set the standard in the profession. Additionally, they adhere to strict ethical guidelines as part of ICF’s mission to protect and serve coaching consumers.
ICF Certification is a life coach certification that gives you confidence that they have been trained well and have plenty of experience before you work with them.
ACC (Associate Certified Coach) has 100+ hours of coaching experience and 60+ hours of education
PCC (Professional Certified Coach) has 500+ hours of coaching experience and 125+ hours of education
MCC (Master Certified Coach) has 2,500+ hours of coaching experience and 200+ hours of education
How long have you been a coach?
If you look at their credentials this will tell you the answer pretty quickly. If you aren't worried about credentials and feel connected to the coach, this will at least tell you they've had some practice and have enough results to work with many people.
How many clients have you had?
Some coaches only work with a couple of clients at a time while others have a packed client schedule. You want to make sure that they aren't practicing on you! Many coaches who are very new will give discounted rates or be very upfront about where they are. This is a great opportunity to get into coaching at an affordable rate. Just remember, the more a person has coached, the better results you'll get in your work with them.
Why did you become a life coach?
Listen for authenticity and dedication. No one benefits from a bored or uninterested life coach. If you connect with their message, all the better!
What do you love most about coaching?
You want to find a life coach who will have enough energy and passion to help you through the hard parts of coaching. Making major changes in your life is challenging. You want someone who can show up for you with enthusiasm and passion.
What types of clients do you like working with the most and why?
This will tell you a lot about what kind of energy the coach is drawn to. If they like someone who is super motivated, always does their homework, and has a clear goal but you need help finding a clear goal and need a big boost in energy; you may not be the best fit. If you are curious about that, you can dig deeper by asking them how they would support you in the particular area you need help with the most.
What is the biggest challenge you helped a client through?
When you hear their answer, compare it to your situation and figure out if they can help you. If their biggest challenge was helping a recent college grad find a new job but you were laid off from a 20-year career that you loved, will they have the chops to help? They actually might so ask deeper questions here.
What obstacle have you overcome in your own life?
Coaches are human and their life experiences bring the most wisdom into their practice. How they handled those experiences gives you tons of information. Even better if, for example, they've been divorced and you need support through one. They will know the roller coaster that divorce can take you on!
What skills or experiences from outside of coaching do you use in your coaching?
Some of these will come from their life experiences but all coaches had careers before they went into coaching. What work did they do? Have they switched careers? Have they moved networks or communities? What might be important to you here?
What is your approach to coaching?
Like people in general, each coach has their own flavor of coaching. This is why these questions are so important. You want to get a sense of how they view the work and how they might work with you.
What are your favorite self-development books/podcasts?
This will show off their personality and their coaching approach. For example, think about the difference between them saying, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" vs. "The Secret". (Personally, I think the best self-development book ever written is "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz.)
What happens in your coaching sessions?
There is no one perfect way to coach. Some coaches have a framework they follow every time. Some open the session loosely. Some give a follow-up email and others don't. Be clear about your needs in a session and you'll get what you need.
What do you expect from me during and after our coaching session?
This question helps you get clear very quickly. This sets up a great relationship with your coach right away.
How do you handle re-scheduling?
Life happens and you want your coach to be supportive and understanding. The flip side is that your coach holds your time for you and no one else has the opportunity to use that time. If you don't give your coach notice until an hour before the session, they can't fill that time with other clients. 24 hours is a pretty standard ask for rescheduling.
How much do you charge and what types of packages do you offer?
This answer is based on experience, credentials, the type of offer and work, who is paying for it (pricing is usually different for corporate clients vs individual clients), and more. Most coaches don't post pricing because they often customize it based on the client's needs.
The more of these conversations you have, the better able you'll be to see the different styles and determine what you like best. You're going to know pretty quickly which conversations give you the energy you're looking for and the skills you need to support you on your journey. It's worth the effort.
Good luck on your journey! Reach out if you have any questions!
