What Do Career Coaches Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for career coaches?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what career coaches do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Career Coaches Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about career coaches by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Career Coaches advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Popular Job Titles For Career Coaches
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- School Counselors
- Job Coaches
- Academic Advisors
- Admissions Counselors
- High School Counselors
- Counselors
- Career Coaches
- Enrollment Coordinators
- Career Advisors
- Elementary School Counselors
- Job Developers
- Admissions Advisors
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for career coaches can be found.
Best Industries for Career Coaches
Career Coaches Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 43.9%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 20.1%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 14.3%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 6.2%
- Educational Support Services: 2.7%
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services: 2.4%
- Other: 10.4%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of career coaches can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2023, about 43.9% of all jobs for career coaches were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Education and Hospitals (State Government) (20.1%), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (14.3%), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6.2%), Educational Support Services (2.7%) and Vocational Rehabilitation Services (2.4%).
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What Do Career Coaches Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what career coaches do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work career coaches do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that career coaches tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for career coaches, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Career Coaches
Based on 121,633 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Career Coaches
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 21,915 | 18% |
| Academic Advising | 15,626 | 13% |
| School Counseling | 15,419 | 13% |
| Social Work | 12,713 | 10% |
| Psychology | 11,067 | 9% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Career Coaches
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 56,711 | 47% |
| Planning | 29,304 | 24% |
| Writing | 27,272 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 23,593 | 19% |
| Leadership | 23,487 | 19% |
Based on 121,633 job postings related to career coaches, student services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 18% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for academic advising, school counseling, social work, psychology and marketing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for career coaches, followed by planning, writing, customer service, leadership and advising.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 21,915 | 18% |
| Academic Advising | 15,626 | 13% |
| School Counseling | 15,419 | 13% |
| Social Work | 12,713 | 10% |
| Psychology | 11,067 | 9% |
| Marketing | 11,055 | 9% |
| Case Management | 8,677 | 7% |
| Higher Education | 7,146 | 6% |
| Student Engagement | 6,450 | 5% |
| Student Information Systems | 6,437 | 5% |
| Mental Health | 6,362 | 5% |
| Human Services | 6,299 | 5% |
| Auditing | 6,229 | 5% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 5,672 | 5% |
| Project Management | 5,623 | 5% |
| Student Recruitment | 5,430 | 4% |
| Office Equipment | 5,347 | 4% |
| Data Analysis | 5,255 | 4% |
| Disabilities | 5,077 | 4% |
| Career Management | 5,049 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 56,711 | 47% |
| Planning | 29,304 | 24% |
| Writing | 27,272 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 23,593 | 19% |
| Leadership | 23,487 | 19% |
| Advising | 22,557 | 19% |
| Management | 22,251 | 18% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 20,924 | 17% |
| Presentations | 18,276 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 17,939 | 15% |
| Teaching | 17,056 | 14% |
| Microsoft Office | 17,049 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 16,970 | 14% |
| Coaching | 15,572 | 13% |
| Research | 15,527 | 13% |
| Detail Oriented | 15,201 | 12% |
| Organizational Skills | 14,318 | 12% |
| Microsoft Excel | 14,005 | 12% |
| Operations | 12,940 | 11% |
| Time Management | 12,263 | 10% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Career Coaches
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| School Counselors | 12,754 | 14.5% |
| Job Coaches | 12,828 | 14.5% |
| Academic Advisors | 13,430 | 15.2% |
| Admissions Counselors | 10,754 | 12.2% |
| High School Counselors | 2,795 | 3.2% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was school counselors, with 4,680 unique job postings. Job coaches were second, with 4,337 postings, followed by academic advisors, admissions counselors and high school counselors.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to career coaches.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| School Counselors | 12,754 | 14.5% |
| Job Coaches | 12,828 | 14.5% |
| Academic Advisors | 13,430 | 15.2% |
| Admissions Counselors | 10,754 | 12.2% |
| High School Counselors | 2,795 | 3.2% |
| Counselors | 3,296 | 3.7% |
| Career Coaches | 3,086 | 3.5% |
| Enrollment Coordinators | 2,900 | 3.3% |
| Career Advisors | 2,513 | 2.8% |
| Elementary School Counselors | 2,811 | 3.2% |
| Job Developers | 2,674 | 3% |
| Admissions Advisors | 3,171 | 3.6% |
| Assessment Coordinators | 2,194 | 2.5% |
| Academic Mentors | 1,518 | 1.7% |
| Guidance Counselors | 1,894 | 2.1% |
| Middle School Counselors | 1,939 | 2.2% |
| Enrollment Counselors | 2,008 | 2.3% |
| Academic Coaches | 1,715 | 1.9% |
| Career Counselors | 2,114 | 2.4% |
| Admissions Liaisons | 1,792 | 2% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for career coaches? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for career coaches.
How much do career coaches make?
Career Coaches: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.