What Does Your Life Coaching Training Need To Offer?

New life coach training schools are popping up all the time. Some are very good, others, unfortunately don't really make the grade and can be a waste of money and a trap for aspiring coaches.

Many of the courses offering life coach certification are marketed really well with flashy brochures, impressive websites and unrealistic promises.  And those that are good may have many points of difference in them that could be important to you.

There is no real "best" coaching training program.  The "best" one is the one that fits your needs and has all the right ingredients to authentically start your coaching career.

To make sure you are getting the training that is best for you you should do some careful research so you don't end up disappointed and having wasted your money.

Finding YOUR Best Training

 A good basic coach training should equip you to coach any client on almost any issue but you want to also make sure there are the inclusions and a focus that is in line with your coaching aspirations 

For example you may be interested in coaching small business owners or finding work as an executive coach within a large business. Not all basic trainings cover the extra information and coaching skills you need to work specifically in these niches. So you may find after your basic training you need to invest in a separate business or executive coaching course. 

Or if your intended speciality is relationship or health coaching, then it's important to find a training that takes this into account and has a compatible focus. 

Do you already have a relevant diploma or degree?

If you already hold a degree or diploma in psychology, social work or counselling it's worth checking university coaching courses on offer.  Many universities now have a life coaching course that can be taken by graduates or holders of a recognised diploma.

Even if you do have a qualification in an associated healing field it is important to invest in a coach specific training, so you understand the difference in the philosophy and delivery of coaching. It is simply not OK and disrespectful to those who have trained extensively to just add life coaching to your title without having some coach specific training. Life coaching is a different and distinctive skill to other related disciplines.

Why Choose An Accredited Life Coaching Training Program?

Life coaching trainings that have been accredited by an independent life coaching association such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF) are one way of making sure you get the education you need to become a true life coaching professional.

This is true even if you are just adding coaching to a related qualification you already have, such as psychology or counselling. Here's why.... 

• The hours studied will count towards your coach specific training requirements if and when you apply for credentialing through an independent life coaching association. (Credentialing is what coaches who reach a certain level of proficiency and coaching experience can can choose to apply for from some of the independent coaching associations such as the ICF or the IAPCM. (Being credentialed as a coach is a step above certification.)
  
• You may find it easier to get employment as a coach, especially in large companies, if you can show you trained through a course accredited by a well recognised independent association, even if you are not yet credentialed.  
• If and when coaching becomes a regulated profession, it will matter that the life coaching training you have taken is credibly accredited.

Online Coaching Training Courses 

More and more aspiring coaches are looking for life coaching training they can take online. 

Many of the larger and well known life coaching training schools offer remote or online training to accommodate students who can't get to face to face classes for whatever reason. I did my training in Australia with CoachU in America this way through 200 hours of "tele-classes". It was interatcctive - an online classroom,  and it had exactly the same content modules as their face to face training. I went on to become a tele-class leader myself (no Skype of Zoom then😀).

However, if the training is only being offered online or on YouTube you need to be even more thorough with your research to avoid wasting your money on an inadequate  training.  

Unfortunately there are a lot courses offering online life coach certification that cost little but may be worthless as a professional credential. In particular be wary of very brief courses. I came across one claiming  that after two days you would be certified to practice as a life coach - REALLY!

Life coaching is not something you can learn how to deliver properly in a couple of days! 

And at this point I would make sure you are aware that any coaching school can offer certification of its own trainings. It's having that life coach training accredited by an independent coaching association that counts. 

So ask for specifics about the course content. Look for genuine testimonials and online reviews and, if you can find them, even contact some of the previous students or post a request for information in a coaching forum on social media. 

10 Questions To Help You Find Your The Best Life Coaching Training 

So now armed with the information above, these 10 questions to ask before you commit yourself to a training will help save you from disappointment and making an expensive mistake. These questions are a starting point and you may think of more. If you do, please follow this link and let me know by adding them to the other comments at the bottom of the page.

1. How well qualified are the life coach trainers?

Unfortunately the profession is becoming littered with people who profess to teach life coaching but have not eveb taken any coach specific training themselves and do not really understand the competencies and parameters of professional life coaching.

So check if the head trainer of the school, is an experienced, certified, life coach, ideally with a credential from a truely independent coaching industry association? 

The rest of the instructors need the same scrutiny: 

• What qualifications, certification and experience do they have?
• How long have they been coaching?

2. Is the life coaching training program accredited with an independent association?

It's worth doing a check with the independent association the life coaching school tells you it is accredited with either for a specific training or as a coaching school.

Here is a list of Independent Coaching Associations many of whom offer accreditation for coach training. I suggest that, as a new coach, you consider joining one because they often have great resources to help you in your coaching and practice building. I also include on the page help in choosing the right one for your to join.

Of course there are also some good trainings that are not independently accredited, but accreditation is your safeguard. Unfortunately, some claiming to be independent, with names that include words like "institute", "federation" are actually a misleading front for a life coaching school!

3. Does the school offer online life coaching training?

You may not find it convenient to travel to face to face life coaching classes, so ask if the school provides remote training. By this I mean tuition online by telephone, email or Skype/Zoom conference calls.

If online life coach certification is offered, be especially careful and ask lots of questions and get references from past students.

There are some excellent coaching schools offering distance learning  However, it is very easy to make a school look good on a website but the certification offered may not be that valid in the professional coaching world. 

And do be sure to read my research suggestions about choosing a training that is offered online, further up this page. It could help prevent you from wasting your money and experiencing disappointment. 

4.  What coaching tools are provided for your use?

Ask what coaching aids the school includes with the course. These would be things such as templates of processes to use, scripts to follow and administration help.

Ask to see a sample of one - any one - so you can see how it is presented and whether it has substance. 

More than once, I have been contacted by a student of a life coaching school and asked if I would share with them some of my coaching materials and guidelines that lead to success.

Apparently the instructors had set this task for them as part of their training! I consider that lazy teaching and not a sign of a competent life coaching school. Sure, talk to successful life coaches, but not to ask them to share their processes as part of your training.

The best life coaching trainings will include a full range of materials from templates of coaching processes, to business building strategies. 

However if you find you need more than is provided, have a look at the huge range offered by The Coaching Tools Company. They are authentic, brandable and very useful and will really save you time and money.  While you are there I suggest you join their email list as they provide excellent ongoing resources to use.

5. Do they advise and help on building your life coaching business?

If you need this and they say they do, find out how specifically. Ask if there is a specific module on the subject.

The best schools and colleges that offer life coaching certification programs invariably include modules that will help you get started with the business side of being a life coach. So ask if there are aids to help a coach get started included, such as templates for agreements, invoices, evaluations, marketing materials and so on.

There are now several software programs available for the business building side of coaching, but they are expensive so, before you invest, check out what is included. In the beginning when you may only have a few clients, consider if you really need to invest in one just yet. 

6. Is there support after you gain your certification?

Despite all your passion, excitement and education, it can still be scary when you first start coaching. So ask what follow up support they offer the graduates to help them when they actually start coaching.

For instance, some schools have an internal mentoring or supervision program for new graduates where more experienced coach will hold your hand through those early days. This can be a really valuable inclusion. 

If they have something similar, ask how it works and the cost, if any. Of course, you can always employ a supervisor or mentor coach separately if this is not available from the school. In Choosing a Life Coach Mentor or Supervisor, you'll find some helpful guidelines for finding the right mentor or supervisor for you as well as an eplanation of the different between the two. 

7. Does the course have the right coaching focus for you?

Obviously, all coaching courses are not the same. So always ask to have a look at the syllabus and a list of the modules that are included.

Make sure it has the coaching focus/philosophy that is going to work for you and the niche you want to specialise in. For example, is it personal development, business, health, executive or corporate coaching focused?

If you are already clear on the coaching environment you want to work in – say small business - check if the course syllabus includes modules that educate and relate to this. 

8. What does the course cost cover?

What is the total cost of the course and options for payment? Are there any extras such as sitting for their graduation and certification test?

Are there payment terms available? Is there a loading for paying by instalment or credit cards?

As with any major purchases there can be hidden costs, so make sure you ask the question about every aspect of the course.

9.  Can you get your money back?

If you find the course is simply not what you thought it would be despite all your research, can you get your money back and within what time frame of starting the training?

One coach I spoke to was very glad she decided to pay by instalments rather than everything upfront. When she discovered what was offered was not what she experienced in the teaching, it was easier for her to opt out before the next payment was due.

If you can avoid signing a direct debit authorisation where the coaching school automatically takes each instalment out of your bank account or charges your credit card. 

And, if for some unforeseen reason such as health or family, you cannot complete the course, what are their policies around deferring or refunding all or a portion of the cost? Or even taking a break and continuing at a later stage? Get any assurances in writing.

10. What does it take to graduate?

What is required to graduate from, or to be certified by, your school? If the coach training certification just means completing the course with no assessment or testing, then it is not really of much value.

To qualify for certification, the life coaching training needs to include some credible evaluation of your skills before certification is granted, either through assessments during the course or with a test at the end.

So there you have it. As you can see there is a lot to research, know and ask before you make that decision to enrol. If I have missing anything you think is important you can contact me through this website or use the form below to add your information. 

I wish you all the best in making the right decision.