Hiring Tips

When looking to hire a coach, keep the following tips in mind:

• Do your homework. Educate yourself about what coaching is, what it isn’t and what the coaching process entails. More than 2,000 articles, case studies and reports about coaching and related topics are easily accessible at the ICF Research Portal.
• Reflect on your goals and objectives. Summarize what you expect to accomplish by partnering with a coach. With a clear idea of your desired outcomes, you can better choose a coach practitioner who is well-equipped to help you develop a strategy for achieving them.
• Interview at least three coaches. Ask each coach about his or her experience, skills and qualifications, and request at least two references. Coaching is an important relationship, so look for a personal connection between you and the coach you choose.
• Confirm credibility. Research each coach’s training, professional memberships and credentials.

Ask the following questions when you interview a prospective coach:

• What is your coaching experience (number of individuals coached, years of experience, types of coaching situations, etc.)?
• What is your coach-specific training (an ICF-accredited training program, other coach-specific training, etc.)?
• What is your coaching specialty or areas in which you most often work?
• What types of organizations do you work with most often? And, at what levels (executives, upper management, middle management, etc.)?
• What types of assessments are you certified to deliver?
• What are some of your coaching success stories (specific examples of clients who have succeeded as a result of coaching)?
• Are you an ICF Member? Do you hold an ICF Credential?