Life/business coach

A life/business coach helps others to make the most of their lives and achieve their goals or full potential. They use a combination of communication skills/ techniques to help their clients explore different solutions to the challenges that they face.

Also known as:

Career coach

Work activities

A life/business coach helps others to make the most of their lives and achieve their goals or full potential. There are lots of different areas of a person’s life that a coach could help with, such as:

Careers and work.
Relationships and personal issues.
Confidence and self-awareness.
Stress.
Managing time effectively.
Money or debt problems.
Coping with mid-life crisis or retirement.
Weight management or wellness issues.
Spirituality.

In addition to these, a business coach could help people with:

Leadership development.
Career development.
Skills development.
Business decision-making.
Strategy development.
Support for organisational change.
Building strong relationships.

The coach listens carefully to what the client says but does not give advice or opinions; instead, they help the client explore their situation and find the answers and solutions for themselves. The coach and client work together to set goals and action plans, and sessions often focus on what the client has achieved since the last session or what challenges they are currently facing. The coach helps them to stay motivated and committed, build their confidence and tackle any setbacks and barriers they might face in achieving their goals. Many clients who come to see a coach are professionals and high achievers who want to try to stretch their potential even further, both as an individual and within their business.

Some coaches specialise in one specific area, such as coaching businesses, or helping those wanting to make a career change. Others offer a more general service. Most coaches are self-employed and work from home, where they see clients face to face, visit them in their office, speak to them over the phone (or internet video call) or offer support by email. They offer one-off consultations or see the client at regular appointments, depending on their individual needs and circumstances. A life/business coach often has contact with other therapists and professionals and keeps a list of relevant contacts. Sometimes, if they feel it would help, they refer clients on to an appropriate therapist. Life/business coaches have to spend a lot of their time promoting their services; they also do administration tasks and prepare and review sessions.

Personal qualities and skills

As a life/business coach, you need:

Excellent listening skills.
The ability to ask the right questions to help others.
To get on well with all types of people.
A willingness to help people and bring out the best in them.
To be objective and non-judgemental.
The ability to motivate, encourage and inspire your clients.
To be trustworthy and respect confidentiality.
Excellent problem-solving skills.
A curious and analytical personality.
A caring and empathetic nature (combined with remaining objective).
Business and marketing skills, as most coaches are self-employed and have to work hard to build their client base.
Stamina; being a coach can be hard work and demanding.

Having experience of life and its challenges/problems can help you to understand other people’s situations better. In some cases, you’ll need relevant direct experience in the area in which you’re coaching, especially in business.

Pay and opportunities

Pay can vary and many life/business coaches are self-employed, earning an hourly or daily rate which can vary depending on their level of experience and types of clients. However, the National Career Service says that business coaches can expect to earn in the range of £25,000 and £54,000.

Coaches usually set their own working hours, to fit around their clients. Sessions with their clients last between 30 minutes and an hour. In business, this could be longer or a series of sessions could be held with different people in a single day. Some evening and weekend work could be required. You will typically work long hours.

What’s happening in this work area?

The market is well-established and competition is quite fierce. Coaches who can demonstrate clear benefits for clients and can show that they have something different to offer, are at an advantage. Being new to coaching need not be a barrier for qualified coaches who bring something different from their past experience.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Entry to this work is usually through networking, marketing and building a reputation. It’s recommended that coaches try to build up some clients while in another job, so they have some income in place when they change to coaching. Opportunities for self-employed, freelance life/business coaches are advertised on internet job boards.

Entry routes and training

There are no set entry routes into life/business coaching, as it is currently an unregulated industry. This means that anyone can set up work as a coach if they feel that they have the necessary qualities and skills. However, in reality, most coaches do take relevant qualifications and become members of professional organisations, as potential clients increasingly tend to look for this when seeking the services of a coach. Many coaches have significant life or business experience which allow them to support clients using first-hand knowledge.

Courses related to life/business coaching are available, at all different levels, from beginner taster sessions to postgraduate. It’s important to choose a course carefully, and to choose one that is endorsed and accredited by a professional body.

When choosing a course, consider things such as:

What you want to get out of it.
The length and cost of the course.
What resources and support the course offers you.
Whether you have contact with coaching professionals and bodies.
Testimonials from other students who have taken the course.

A level 5 (higher) apprenticeship in the role of coaching professional – you will train on the job while gaining relevant qualifications.

If you’re interested in going into a particular area of coaching, it is worth looking at courses that focus on the area that you are looking to specialise in. The Coaching and Mentoring Network, The UK International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Association for Coaching can provide information on training courses, accreditation and membership. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) also offers a range of training courses in coaching.

A coach could progress in this career by specialising in a particular area of coaching, or they could work with specific clients, such as businesses. Many qualified coaches have skills gained in psychology or management and so could move into careers within this area. Some train to become counsellors. Other coaches could move into teaching or offering workshop sessions or seminars in their chosen field of expertise.

Qualifications

There are no minimum qualifications required to become a life/business coach. Some coaches have A-levels or equivalent, a degree or a relevant postgraduate or professional coaching-related qualification. To do a higher apprenticeship, you will need two A-levels plus GCSEs in English and maths.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have gained skills and abilities in other areas such as psychology, management or teaching. This is a second, or even third, career for many people.

Relevant university and college courses are available via distance/online learning.

Related careers

Careers Adviser
Counsellor
Image Consultant
Psychologist
Psychotherapist