Working with a career coach is about self-learning

West Michigan Works! (WMW!) offers a variety of employment and training services designed to empower job seekers with the tools, resources and confidence needed to find a job. Working with a WMW! career coach is one of the best ways to prepare for your job search. Career coaches are dedicated to helping job seekers find employment in a field that matches their interests and career goals.

“At the initial appointment, the job seeker should expect to talk about their goals,” says Krista Hagen, a career coach who works at the Muskegon service center. An interest assessment or profiler will help you determine what kinds of jobs would be a good fit for you based on your likes and dislikes.

What makes a successful meeting between a job seeker and career coach?

WMW! career coaches know they are doing their job when a job seeker leaves their local service center with more knowledge and confidence than when they arrived.

“The job seeker should feel empowered and supported in working towards their employment goals,” says career coach Trena Williams-Winston. “The more open and honest they can be, the more the career coach can support the entire person.”

According to research on job satisfaction, there’s only a small connection between pay and job satisfaction. The research found that satisfaction comes from doing work that you enjoy and gives you a “sense of meaning.” Working with a career coach is a great way to understand your strengths, interests and personality traits so that you can find a job that meets those needs.

To make the most out of the career coach experience, a job seeker should arrive to their WMW! service center with an open mind and be ready to work on their career search. “The more thought the job seeker puts toward their goals, the better the outcomes are,” believes Hagen.

Visit our Get Started page to learn more about our services or to connect with a West Michigan Works! career coach.