Everyone grows up with a dream job. It could be sparked by an interest or hobby from a young age or a new discovery later in life, but everyone has an ideal profession (or two or ten) in mind as a bright-eyed youngster. Sadly, not everyone can or does grow up to live out those lofty, youthful goals. Some lucky individuals may discover their true calling and end up with successful careers. Unfortunately, a majority of people end up settling for something that pays the bills but offers little else by way of career satisfaction. Some figures estimate that as much as half of all working professionals are unsatisfied in some way in their professional lives.

Due to this, career development is rapidly growing in demand as career counselors play a key role in guiding individuals into new professional challenges. Career development trainers work with individuals on a case-by-case basis to understand their unique strengths and ambitions in order to determine their ideal career choices. To path to becoming a freelance career development trainer takes a combination of education, experience, and credentials. Naturally, it’s not as simple as sliding into the position and securing new clients.

Just as most professional roles require some sort of formalised education, most career counselors have graduate degrees that are directly related to a particular occupation or industry. While your bachelor’s degree can be outside the field in which you hope to counsel, a typical career development trainer will normally have some sort of background in psychology or counseling. A graduate degree isn’t necessarily required in order to work as a career development trainer, especially if your goal is to work as a freelance counselor, but many jobs may specifically state that a candidate must have a master’s degree. There are plenty of graduate-level programmes that offer master’s and doctorate degrees in counseling if you wish to undertake one. Additionally, you may want to pursue licensing before you set up a practice. In some countries, you may need to be a licensed counselor and fulfill educational requirements, supervised fieldwork (counseling hours), and other criteria, depending on where you live.

Once you have established the knowledge and resources to embark on your freelance career, the next logical step is to build your client base. The first and easiest step is to try word of mouth. Spread awareness of your services through your family and peer group. Some freelance consultants are able to work off word of mouth referrals with great success. Consider advertising locally through online boards like Craigslist, offering a Groupon or Living Social deal for new clients, or posting flyers at coffee shops. Offer initial services at reduced rates or in package deals to capture interest. You may have success piggybacking off the clientele of other established businesses by recruiting from their customers. Known as a host-beneficiary relationship, you can offer a buy-one-get-one hour free specials with some local businesses as well.

To maintain a steady flow of business, consider ways to track your success rate. A college admissions counselor would track the success rate among individual students or by specific schools. Similarly, leverage your customers’ success in landing new roles or embarking on new journeys, along with their satisfaction rates. This will build a solid platform you can use to find new business. Outside of your own marketing efforts, always ask your clients for leads. They may know of friends or family that are in need of guidance. It’s also not a bad idea to try connecting with local higher education institutions. They may have some career services offices that can refer students to your business.

At the end of the day, finding the right career matters. A majority of working professionals spend most of their waking hours every week at work and helping others determine what they want to do most for a career can be a particularly rewarding occupation. Becoming a career development trainer may be a great option if you have the right knowledge, education, and experience. With a little hard work to establish your practice, knowing that your passion is to help others identify what they would like to do for a living is the perfect place to start to a fulfilling career.

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How To Become A Freelance Career Development Trainer

Career Advice Career counselling, advice and guidance
Select article category

Select article category

Productivity Tips
Workplace English
Industry Stories
Job Search in Hong Kong
HR Career Success
How to Get Promoted
Career Path Planning
Career Coaching & Guidance
Advice Columnist