Career coaching helps people entering the workforce, changing careers or revitalizing an existing career to find focus and success. People at stage of their careers can benefit from coaching—including entry-level workers, mid-career professionals, managers, executives, recent graduates and students who want to plan ahead. Career coaches work with people in a range of industries, including sales and marketing, nonprofits, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, financial services, education, retail or consumer goods, real estate, construction and more. Many people seek the help of a career coach to find a new job, explore future career options, change jobs, improve leadership skills, create a healthier work-life balance and enhance their experience in their position. Several factors affect the cost of career coaching.

Type of session

Career coaches offer varying services for different clientele. Sessions might focus on reviewing the client’s resume, interview prep, foundational work, goal-setting and other work-related concerns. The focus can affect the cost.

Experience and location

Academic background of the career coach, previous experience in relevant fields, training and professional reputation all can affect the cost. In addition, coaches living in areas with a higher cost of living typically charge more than those living in more affordable regions of the country.

Resume and cover letter

In addition to career coaching, many professionals offer assistance with writing or revising resumes and cover letters. These services may be separate from career coaching, or they may be integrated into a coaching session. Harris Consociates in Lansing, Michigan, charges $50 to revise an existing resume and $150 to create, edit and revise a new resume and cover letter based on the client’s needs.

Career coaching

Most career coaches offer individual coaching sessions. These one- or two-time meetings are meant for people who need straightforward help with practicalities such as searching for a job and preparing for interviews to help launch them back into the workforce or find a different job. Here are some examples of single-session pricing:

• Tabula Rasa Coaching in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania: $89 for a 90-minute session that includes one-on-one job search and interview prep

• Harris Consociates: $150 for a single career coaching session

Package pricing

Many career coaches offer package options, with sessions provided at a reduced rate when the client prepays for a bundle upfront. Harris Consociates offers the following packages:

• Four career coaching sessions: $480—regular sessions cost $150 each, so clients save $120 overall

• Six career coaching sessions: $720—clients save $180 overall

• Three-month coaching package: $1,425, which includes 12 sessions, up to 15 email correspondences per month and 10 text conversations per month, for a 5 percent discount over purchasing individual sessions

• Six-month coaching package: $2,700, which includes 24 sessions, up to 15 email correspondences per month and 10 text conversations per month, for a 10 percent discount over purchasing individual sessions

Group sessions

Some coaches offer group workshops or online services at a lower rate than their one-on-one sessions, which is an opportunity to save. Tabula Rasa Coaching offers an online group session for $59. The two-hour e-Group session is for new graduates and people re-entering the workforce or having difficulty finding a job. The session covers topics such as honing a resume, job searching, applying, interview prep, and questions and answer time.