Hi Coaches!

I know I mentioned our next Deep Dive would be on Mental Health Coaching, but that topic is proving to be a much bigger conversation than I anticipated. I’m learning a lot and am exited to share more with you soon. In the meantime, I want to stay on track with our Deep Dives!

In a past issue, I asked what you wanted to know about the job application process from health coach recruiters. I’ve gathered insights from conversations and research, which I’m excited to share with you now. Keep in mind our industry is evolving rapidly, so this information is likely to change over time. Health coaching today is quite different from just a few years ago. This overview reflects the current landscape and is primarily from a digital health perspective, but many principles are applicable to roles in other areas like clinics, hospitals, and community health.

I welcome further questions, comments, and constructive criticisms as I continue to have conversations in our industry.

To Infinity, and Beyond.

Leslie

Ask A Recruiter

The Elephant in the Room

Getting a health coaching job right now is hard. There are far more coaches than there are jobs, and the impact this situation has on coaches isn’t widely discussed in our industry. While it’s not a secret, it often feels like an elephant in the room. New coaches are spending thousands on education that isn’t necessarily leading to jobs—not because the education itself isn’t valuable, but because the market is oversaturated. Employers have a large candidate pool, so they can stipulate specific experience and likely get it. This leads me to a question from our ‘Ask A Recruiter’ survey.

“How do I get a coaching job with no experience?”

There are entry-level positions available, but many more require experience. There is not a comfortable answer to this question and it may not align with the initial expectations many new coaches have upon entering the field.

Gain experience in any way you can and coach in your immediate sphere of influence—volunteer in your community, work with non-profits, exchange coaching sessions with fellow coaches, pitch coaching to your current employer or find ways to use coaching skills in your current job. Any coaching experience counts. In our industry’s current growth stage, entrepreneurial skills are crucial for career advancement regardless of whether or not you plan to start your own business, and I’ll discuss this further in a future conversation. I understand this may not be the answer many want to hear and I empathize with that.

Experienced coaches have an advantage due to their years in the field and industry connections. However, they still face competition from a large pool of applicants. When you do meet a role’s requirements, the next question is:

“How do I get noticed or set myself apart from the giant pool of applicants when applying for a coaching role?”

Some Important Context

It’s important to understand the recruiter’s perspective. They often handle hundreds of resumes, so streamlining the process is crucial. Beyond the ATS, recruiters will look for quick ways to discard applications. While this might seem unfair at times, it’s a practical response to their heavy workload and limited time. Imagine the cognitive load of having to whittle down hundreds of applications. The key for you as a coach is to avoid giving recruiters an easy reason to say ‘no’ while finding ways to stand out from other candidates. That’s the insight I hope to provide today.

The Resume

This may sound generic, but it’s essential—tailor your resume to match the specific skills and experience the role requires. Doing so increases your chances of getting through the system. Here are some ways to do this:

1. Modality: If applying for a virtual face to face role and your experience is text-based, you may not be as competitive. Match the modality mentioned in the job description with the same language in your resume. This is important because while the coaching skills may be the same, their application looks different according to the modality, and competence in text based coaching does not equal competence in face to face (and vice versa). If you're lacking in this area, consider upskilling.
   

2. Job Title: Use the job title exactly as it appears in the listing. Companies often have internal variations for names of roles. Modify your title reasonably and be prepared to justify the changes. If a job description says “Wellness Coach” that needs to be in your resume.
   

3. Credentials: Authentic credentials can sometimes set you apart, but don't lie about them (yes, I’ve heard of this happening). It's easy to verify credentials like NBC-HWC, and employers might request visible proof. Keep your certificate handy. I had an employer once request I make my NBHWC profile visible online in order to verify my credential.
   

4. Coaching Volume: Particularly in digital health, employers want to know you understand what a full caseload entails. Include specific numbers if possible.
   

5. Coached Population: While specific specialization experience isn't always required, understanding the target population is important. For example, if the role focuses on clients with chronic conditions, highlight relevant experience to show you grasp the factors influencing this population.
   

6. Know the Company: Research the company and its focus - this is not always immediately evident. Tailor your resume and cover letter to align with their minimum requirements and population focus. Demonstrate an understanding of their context, whether it’s digital health, a clinic, corporate wellness, etc.
   

7. Skills: Match your resume to the skills and duties listed in the job description. This goes for coaching and technical skills, professional skills, and interpersonal skills. If HIPAA compliance or client note-taking is mentioned, include it in your resume. Highlight technical skills for digital health roles. Explicitly mention qualities like empathy and active listening. Do not take it as evident that anyone who is applying for a coaching role naturally has these skills. They need to be explicitly mentioned.
   

8. Cover Letter: While opinions vary on its importance, avoid using ChatGPT for your cover letter. Recruiters can spot it easily because it’s too perfect. If you do use it, make sure to edit the letter to reflect your personal voice and charm.

Some Don’ts

Don’t give the recruiter an easy reason to discard your resume. Pay close attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Using an AI tool to check these can be handy (I go cross eyed myself when I’m reviewing my resume). Don’t worry too much about minor errors, but aim for a polished presentation and avoid significant mistakes.

Also, don’t ignore specific application instructions. Following them is important no matter how inconsequential they may seem, as ignoring them is an intentional way to filter out candidates and give the recruiter an easy reason to say ‘no’.

Be Proactive

One of the best ways to bypass the ATS and stand out to a recruiter is by being proactive and building relationships over time. Here are some ways you might do this:

1. If you’re interested in a company or role, find a recruiter, hiring manager, or coach on LinkedIn and follow them. Reach out to connect. Plan to maintain that connection over time.
   

2. Build a presence on LinkedIn. Don’t let your profile sit idle—follow people, engage with content, and nurture the connections you are making.
   

3. Offer warm, consistent nudges—like a friendly “Hey, how are you doing?”—or comment on their LinkedIn activity. This doesn’t have to be very involved. Even small interactions show interest and remind them of you. Even if they don’t respond, simply recognizing your name among a sea of applicants can be helpful.
   

4. If you're reaching out about a job posting (definitely do this if possible!), make sure you've already applied. Don’t send your resume directly to someone—they’ll likely just direct you to apply through the official process, and it could add unnecessary work for the recruiter. Stand out for the right reasons.
   

5. Adopt a ‘giving’ mindset. Whether connecting on LinkedIn or applying for jobs, always frame yourself in terms of how you can help the company or address industry challenges.
   

6. Stay informed on industry trends. Watch LinkedIn for what major players are discussing. Read The Health Coaching Jobs Newsletter to stay updated.

This process takes time. You might not land a role right away, but being consistent will make you memorable and increase your chances in the long run. Sometimes, all a recruiter needs to do is recognize your name and that can help reduce the cognitive load of a yes or no decision to move someone up in the application process.

The Interview

There are several aspects of the interview process and important considerations that will be unique for health coaches:

1. Mock Coaching/Test Project: You’ll likely have to demonstrate your competence through a mock coaching session where you’ll coach a current coach acting as a client. Even with a certification, employers want to see you can do the job. This highlights the importance of experience in different coaching modalities - any gaps will be evident here.
   

2. Competence Over Passion: This can be a tough one for some health coaches because they are so passionate about what they do, and it feels like that should be enough. While passion is important, employers are looking for results. You need to speak to your experience beyond passion and education with specific case studies. Use the SOAR/STAR method to outline how you’ve delivered outcomes for clients/patients. Passion alone will not land you the job - competence will.
   

3. Difficult Client Scenarios: Be ready to discuss challenging client situations with some case studies. Consider the context of the role you are applying for and tailor your experiences accordingly. For example, you may need to explain how you navigate scope of practice, support a client with low self-efficacy, or repair rapport in a strained coaching relationship.
   

4. Coaching Philosophy: Be prepared to explain your coaching methodologies and philosophy. Not every interviewer will ask this, but having clarity here will boost your confidence.
   

5. First Impressions Matter: How you present yourself is critical. Beyond professional attire and location (for virtual interviews, please don’t interview in your car), recruiters will assess your energy, authenticity, and demeanor, which are direct indicators of how you’ll interact with clients/patients. If you’ll work with clients with chronic or mental illnesses, demonstrate qualities like active listening, mindfulness, and energy moderation. However, a recruiter can tell if you’re just shopping around and not being authentic, in all stages of the application process. So, how you present yourself also needs to be authentic.
   

6. Know What You Want: Be clear on what you’re looking for in a coaching role and ask questions that help you assess if the role aligns with your goals. If you're interested in a startup, be ready to discuss flexibility and program building in addition to coaching. For a clinic, understand what it's like working with an integrated care team. Informational interviews with coaches who are currently in similar roles can help you gain this clarity. A big part of my goal with this newsletter is to also bring more clarity to what different roles look like.

Some questions to Ask

• What does coaching at [Company] look like?

• What level of autonomy does a coach have in this role?

• How will my performance be measured?

• How will coaching efficacy be measured?

• What duties beyond coaching are involved in this role?

• What is the biggest challenge your client population faces? (Then, explain how you can help meet that need.)

Final Takeaways

Navigating the job market as a health coach is incredibly challenging. While it can be tempting to go for continuing education to try to make yourself stand out, education and passion are not enough (and let’s be real, you’ve probably already spent enough money as it is). Gaining any form of coaching experience and strategically upskilling when needed, while adopting a proactive approach to building and maintaining industry connections are fundamental career building steps that are proving increasingly necessary across industries as the world of work evolves. As we often help our own clients to realize, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” and our industry is very young - we only just started the run.

Please share with your network if you found some value in this week’s issue! Here are some ways to share:

• Forward this email to a friend

• Click on one of the ‘social’ buttons at the top right of this email to automatically post to your preferred network.

• Copy and paste our subscription link to any location, https://health-coaching-jobs.beehiiv.com/subscribe

About

The Health Coaching Jobs Newsletter is a one woman operation fueled by a passion for supporting coaches and the growth of the health and wellness coaching industry.

As the newsletter grows, I would love to hear from you! Send an email to [email protected] - share how your job search is going, how your coaching is going, and what you’d like to see in future newsletters!