Is a Career Coach or Mentor Better for Your Journey?

When people reach a career transition stage, they often seek support for their journey. During this time, people want to know the difference between a mentor and a career coach and which would be best suited for them. The best way to decide if a career coach or mentor is best for you is to understand the differences between them and the benefits of each of them.

Differences between a career coach and mentor

A career coach is a formal and structured relationship. They typically help you grow and develop your skills to handle challenges or achieve specific career goals over a set period. A career coach supports you in professional aspirations and helps you uncover your own truths about what will make you fulfilled at work. They do not tell you what to do or how to make decisions. They do offer experience and support for transitions in your career. A career coach is someone you pay to support you. Rates vary but may be per hour, per session, or for the entire program. Some coaching firms do pro bono work, meaning they do not charge fees and consider it a way to pay it forward.

A mentor is a more relaxed, and less formal professional relationship. A mentor and a mentee can have a short- or long-term relationship. In most cases, the relationship is long and can even be life-long. Mentors offer guidance, advice, and support to empower mentees to grow and face career challenges. Often the mentor is someone that the mentee looks up to and admires. A mentor usually shares knowledge, connections, and experiences to help the mentee grow and develop in their career. Sometimes a mentor can share skills if that is part of why the mentee seeks them out. Generally, mentors are voluntary and do not expect monetary compensation. Most mentors find fulfillment in mentoring as a way to give back to society.

Next, let’s look at things in terms of approach. If someone needs help transferring to another department at their company, the outcome would differ depending on which support person they spoke with. A career coach would aim to inspire them to do their best thinking while guiding them gently to help make decisions.  They could help with resume updates. Or they might help them understand the positive and negative factors of transferring. They may help connect the dots with decision-makers in the current and prospective departments to guide them in making an introduction. A mentor would be more proactive and more directive. The mentor may introduce the mentee to the hiring manager directly in the prospective department.

A mentor takes on the dominant role and may give directives to a mentee. They may suggest the best course of action or give feedback to raise awareness in areas of needed improvement. A mentor may introduce them to key stakeholders in the industry or offer them opportunities to network in their industry. In contrast, when in a coaching session, the client talks more than the coach. A career coach directs the conversation and asks questions to help you reflect, confront your fears, and define your beliefs. The coach empowers you to find solutions for yourself. However, they could challenge your views. They may guide you through various exercises to enable you to find answers or overcome challenges.

Benefits of a Career Coach or Mentor

In an organization, mentors may receive mentoring, coaching, and leadership skills training to better support and guide their mentees. Sometimes a training program to equip senior leaders and employees with mentoring skills is offered. Mentees may also be trained to make the most of the mentorship program or find an appropriate match. The goal of a mentoring relationship is to promote the mentee’s overall career growth and development.

A career coach should have experience with techniques to guide clients in career-making decisions. They do not necessarily have direct experience in your industry or role. Their primary responsibility is not to handhold you in your current role but to help you build confidence and make the right decisions in your career. Coaching is goal-driven and aims to achieve the outcome defined at the beginning of the coaching program. The outcome is measurable and specific. Example: To improve confidence, work on particular limiting beliefs, improve presentation skills, make an exit plan for a toxic work environment, etc.

The benefits of having a mentor or a career coach are beyond measure. They both:

• help you to grow and achieve your full potential
• expose you to new perspectives
• build skills like interpersonal skills, communication skills, leadership skills, and even confidence
• boost your morale and motivation toward achieving your career goals
• improve your professional performance and prepare you for more senior roles
• help clarify and set goals for your career progression and devise a strategy for achieving

Which one is right for you depends on your specific scenario. Although some mistakenly use the terms coach and mentor interchangeably, they are very distinct roles. However, you can work with a mentor and a coach for optimal career growth and personal development. Since career development is multi-faceted and each of these support roles has its own purpose, the decision depends on where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow, and what your goals are.