Why It's Worth Earning Certification As A Life Coach

The life coaching industry is not very closely regulated. You're not actually required to hold a license or certification to work as a life coach. So, if you are someone with a lot of life experience and you believe you're capable of helping others, you could start working as a life coach today. However, this may not be the best approach. There are definitely some benefits of becoming certified as a life coach, even though it is not required in the strictest sense.

Certification gives you a framework for presenting your advice

You may have lots of helpful advice to offer those who hire you for life coaching. However, in order to ensure that advice is useful and applicable for your clients, you need to be able to present it in an approachable, understandable way. Attending a life coach certification program will teach you a framework, or perhaps several frameworks, that you can use to present your advice to clients. You'll learn the right order to address situations. You'll learn how to better connect with clients and figure out what they need from you in terms of structure and guidance. Content is only half of life coaching. The other half is presenting that content in the right way, and that's where certification can really help.

Certification reassures your clients

If you were looking for a life coach, how would you distinguish the good ones from the not-so-good ones? You might look to see which coaches have been certified. You can only expect that your potential clients will do the same. If a client has to choose between you, a certified coach, and another coach who is not certified, they'll probably choose you. The certification assures them that you've taken the time to learn and hone your skills.

Certification introduces you to other life coaches

The other key benefit of enrolling in a certification program is that you won't be alone. Most life coaches are self-employed, and this can be a lonely path to follow. Through your certification program, you can meet and get to know other life coaches. You can call these professional colleagues if you ever need advice or if you want to brainstorm with like-minded coaches. 

Even though certification is not required for life coaches, it is still a very good idea. Attending a certification program helps you connect with other coaches, develop a framework, and ensure clients of your reputability.