What qualifications do i need to be a life coach

Yes, Qualifications Are Essential for Becoming a Life Coach

It seems like life coaches are popping up everywhere, and the appeal of this career is easy to understand. Not only can you choose when and where you work, but life coaches can make more than $200 an hour–all while experiencing the satisfaction of helping someone else fulfill their potential.

Still, it isn’t for everyone and when it comes to life coaching qualifications, there are personality traits and key skills that are necessary for the job. If you’re thinking about a career in life coaching, learn more about the natural talents and skills that can help you to successfully build your practice.

The Traits You Need to Become a Life Coach

While anyone can become a life coach, there are certain personalities that are more conducive to working with clients and guiding them through life’s obstacles. These personality traits aren’t absolute requirements, but they are common characteristics of successful life coaches and, when paired with life coaching qualifications, may help you decide if coaching is right for you.

Patience: Clients who seek the help of a life coach may be confused, at a crossroads, or even just plain lost. As you work to help them, your patience will be put to the test. It may take weeks or even months for your clients to move forward and they’ll be experiencing their own frustrations in the process. Your ability to find a way to quell their frustrations (and your own) will be a key factor for the success of your partnership.

Tactfulness: You may think that a life coach is like a cheerleader, standing on the sidelines and offering encouragement and support. While that’s certainly true, a life coach also needs to point out some cold, hard truths about what’s holding a client back or what’s realistic. Tactfulness is crucial for offering criticism in a gentle, constructive way, ensuring that your client both understands and is receptive to the guidance you offer.

Sociability: Life coaching is all about interacting with people, so if you’re a “people person,” the job will be a more natural fit. Not only should you feel comfortable in social situations talking with others, but it’s equally important to make others feel relaxed and willing to open up.

Open-mindedness: As a life coach, you’re likely to encounter a wide range of clients, many of whom will have different backgrounds, beliefs, and morals than your own. If you can’t set aside your own feelings and judgments to treat all clients with respect, life coaching may not be the right path for you.

Insight: A certain level of perceptiveness will take a life coach a long way. Sometimes, you’ll need to see past what your clients tell you to understand what’s really going on. The ability to apply your own life experiences to create empathy and camaraderie with your client will also be important as you two tackle the challenges in front of you.

Earning Your Life Coach Qualifications

Although there’s no formal training required by law to become a life coach, taking an accredited course will certainly boost your life coaching qualifications in the eyes of potential clients, while providing the skills and tools you need to be an effective coach. Accredited programs are backed by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and include anywhere from 125 to 300 hours of training.

With accredited life coach training programs, you’ll receive hands-on training and have your coaching sessions observed by professionals who can help you hone and develop your skills. You can choose the type of life coaching certifications to pursue and continuing education is available to keep your skills and approach up to date.

The right training can help you to enhance your own natural talents and develop the personality traits that will make you an effective and successful life coach. Not only will you be more equipped to help your clients achieve their goals by investing in life coaching qualifications, but you’ll be more confident in your own capabilities—and that all adds up to being more satisfied with your life coaching career.

If you think you have what it takes to become a life coach, learn more about finding the right training program. Download the Guidebook: 9 Key Considerations For Choosing the Right Coach Training School to get started!

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Expect to complete a coaching certificate program to become a life coach. And with some experience, you can go for a professional credential.

There are no federal or state-mandated educational or licensing requirements to become a life coach, but there is consensus in the industry on education and training: Completing a coach certificate program is highly recommended to be a successful coach and demonstrate your expertise to potential clients and employers.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is widely recognized by life coaches and educational programs alike for taking the lead in setting educational and professional standards for this self-regulated industry.

According to a global survey by the group, 95% of coaches say they have completed 60 or more hours of training, and 43% report that they have 200 hours or more.

What to Look for in a Coach Training Program

There are hundreds of life coach programs available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Life coach gurus, coaching schools, and university extension programs all offer programs and courses, and some colleges and universities also offer undergraduate or graduate programs or certificates.

As you consider your options, find out if the programs or courses you’re looking at have ICF accreditation. The ICF has developed a code of ethics for coaches, standards for coaching programs, and a credentialing process for coaches to demonstrate their expertise and skills.

Because of this work, ICF accreditation is considered the gold standard in the coaching industry.

Luke Davis, vice president of ICF coach training, advises prospective coaching students to ask these questions as they evaluate coaching programs:

• What’s the training delivery method and do I learn best that way?
• Does it have the emphasis or specialty area I’m interested in?
• What’s the philosophy on coach training/education?
• What’s the cost?
• Does the program offer support services for graduates?

Life coach gurus, coaching schools, and university extension programs all offer coaching programs and courses, and some colleges and universities also offer undergraduate or graduate programs or certificates.

Accreditation for Life Coach Programs

The ICF provides three types of program accreditation. Here’s a look at each one.

Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP)

Programs with this accreditation:

• Are considered “all inclusive” training programs with start-to-finish coach training
• Include a minimum of 125 student contact hours with faculty
• Include mentoring by a professional coach
• Conduct performance evaluations
• Are a good option for students looking for a complete program
• Are good for those planning to pursue an ICF coaching credential

Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH)

Programs with this accreditation:

• Provide “a la carte” training classes
• May or may not offer start-to-finish coach training
• Require a minimum of 30 student contact hours with faculty
• Are good for those rounding out their training or adding an area of concentration
• Can be used when applying for an ICF coaching credential

Continuing Coach Education (CCE)

Programs with this accreditation:

• Offer supplemental and advanced training education
• Are meant to further professional development
• Are for coaches who want to learn the latest in their field
• May be taken for ICFcredential renewal

The ICF provides a searchable directory of accredited programs, courses, and providers on its website.

Life Coach Education and Training

When it comes to the programs themselves, there’s a range of formats. Some are offered as retreats over a long weekend. Others can be six-week online courses, or in-person or hybrid programs that take six months to a year to complete. If the program is part of a postgraduate degree at a university, the time frame might be a year or two.

This means that prospective life coaches have a lot of flexibility in how they pursue their education. For example, aspiring coaches who work full time in another profession could choose to complete their training in monthly or weekly courses.

Jenny McGlothern, owner of the retreat and life coaching business Mama Needs A Refill, had young children when she completed her training and attended retreat-like sessions on Saturdays.

Angelina Corbet, who started the coaching business The Mobius Company after a career as a corporate executive, says she took several of her classes at ICF conventions, which allowed her to network, learn about trends, and pursue her coaching education all at the same time.  

Programs are offered in a range of formats. Some are retreats over a long weekend. Others can be six-week online courses, or hybrid programs that take six months to a year to complete.

What You’ll Study

Life coach programs cover a range of topics to help you learn to work effectively with your clients. A program might cover any or all of the following:

• Basic coaching skills
• Building trust with clients
• Active listening skills
• Goal setting and holding clients accountable
• Visualization techniques
• Techniques to identify obstacles to client success
• Ethics in coaching
• Coaching practice sessions
• Preparation for the ICF Coach Knowledge Assessment, required for ICF coach credentialing

Core Competencies for a Life Coach

The ICF defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” According to the ICF, an effective coach:

• Demonstrates ethical practice by adhering to coaching ethics and standards
• Embodies a coaching mindset that is open, curious, flexible, and client-centered
• Establishes and maintains coaching agreements with clients
• Cultivates trust and safety by creating a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely
• Maintains presence by being fully conscious and present with the client, using a style that is open, grounded, and confident.
• Listens actively by focusing on what the client is and is not saying to fully understand what they are communicating
• Evokes awareness by facilitating client insight and learning using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, or analogy
• Facilitates client growth and autonomy by partnering with the client to transform learning and insight into action

–The International Coaching Federation

Sample 6-Week Program Versus 6-Month Program

Since there’s such a broad range of programs, you might be wondering how they differ. Here’s how a basic coaching program might compare to an intensive program.

Online and Classroom Learning

Coaching programs can be one or a combination of the following:

• Online classes
• Hosted online seminars
• Classroom instruction
• One-on-one meetings with a professional coach

The coaching profession has offered online training and education for years, so online options are plentiful. Many programs are conducted entirely online, which is great for career changers who want to work while they train and those who want to take a program that’s not offered nearby.

However, if you prefer learning in the classroom, you’ll be happy to know that many programs offer training in person as well as online.

How to Choose Your Program

McGlothern taught coaching for six years, and she has this advice for picking a program after you’ve done your research and analysis:

• Trust your gut
• Choose a school that makes sense to your heart as well as your head
• Don’t assume that the more expensive schools are better
• Sit in on a class before committing to a program
• Talk to a couple of graduates of the program.

Many programs are conducted entirely online, which is great for career changers who want to work while they train and those who want take a program that’s not offered nearby.

Specializing as a Coach

Life coaches can specialize or focus on a number of areas. Many enter coaching as a generalist and remain a generalist, helping a variety of clients adopt a healthy lifestyle, improve family relationships, change careers, live a spiritual life, or pursue other goals. Other coaches choose a focus over time.

Still, others come to coaching with college degrees and credentials in another field, such as business or psychology, and choose a coaching program with related a specialty. While life coach and therapist are different roles, some professionals with the right education and credentials can combine them.

Top Coaching Specialties

Health and Wellness Coaching

Work with clients to improve their health, vitality, and well-being by addressing issues such as illness and weight

Work with individuals and couples to find more connection and fulfillment in relationships

Internal and Organizational Coaching

Work at fostering positive, systemic transformation within organizations and teams

Work with executives to enhance their leadership and achieve an organization’s goals

Work-Life Balance Coaching

Work with clients to define success, fulfillment, and work-life balance and set goals to achieve their vision

Professional Credentials

While not required, many life coaches also pursue professional credentials after they receive certification through a training program.

In its latest report on membership and credentialing, the ICF says that 92% of its member coaches have one of the three ICF coaching credentials:

• Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
• Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
• Master Certified Coach (MCC)

These credentials are highly respected globally and convey that you’ve been rigorously trained according to a set of high standards.

The Difference Between a Certificate and a Credential

Earning a certificate and becoming credentialed are two distinct steps in a profession.

• A certificate indicates completion of a course or program of study and is often listed on a resume under education.
• A credential is awarded based on standards and qualifications set by an industry. Earning a credential can require a specific amount of professional experience and a demonstration of competency, often through an exam.

  A credential’s designation—PCC, for example—can be used after your name. Typically, ongoing training and education are required to maintain a credential.

Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes life coaching in its classification for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors. Professionals in this group earn a median salary of $60,510, according to the BLS, with the top 10% making $98,190 annually.

Of course, earnings can be tied to a number of factors, including:

• Where you work
• The hours you work
• The rates you set
• The location of your business or employer
• Your experience

Having a life coach certificate, a specialty certificate, or an ICF credential may help you stand out with potential clients or employers like private businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit groups.

“Most job descriptions posted by those organizations now indicate a strong preference or requirement for a certificate from an ICF-approved program or a coaching credential approved by the ICF,” says Davis.

With professional insight from:
Luke Davis
Naturopath and Professor, Bastyr University

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