Coaches seem to have more opportunity to specialize, and I’m all about specialization and focus, and

There’s no actual degree in Career Counseling. I would have to pursue a Masters in Counseling (general), a curriculum that usually only offers a single career counseling course.

Plus, I’m scared of possibly failing the GREs, and even just of going back to school. I’m such a crappy student! Especially when I have to take required courses that have no direct relation to my field of choice.

I wish one of the five career counselors I e-mailed would e-mail me back, so that I could pick their brain about their background and training…

Oh, and my two cents – go counseling instead of life coach. I know two people from college who are life coaches, and I always joke that one should probably have lived their life a bit (had kids, been financially successful, traveled the world etc.) before they coach others. Plus, it’s kinda hokey, and they always want you to come to their silly seminars. Counselors are more legit and less laughable.

I remember that, during my first post-college job (I was editor — really a glorified proofreader/word processor — to an environmental engineering firm down on scary Wall Street), I was terrified at being the youngest person in an office full of people that seemed tailor-made for the corporate work world. After a time, though, it became clear to me that most people were bullshitting their way through their jobs. No matter what level you’re at, in a way you’re on an even playing field, learning as you go ( and really, throwing yourself into something is the best way to learn).

Beyond that, it’s as simple as changing your mindset, and taking the steps necessary to feel confident in your abilities.

Whoa, you’re right. That IS a good topic for Freelancedom.

But before I go there, let me leave you with this: As an outside consultant, you’re providing a service that your client apparently can’t provide for themselves. You’re the expert! If you can talk the talk and present yourself as someone who knows her shit, potential clients (who honestly don’t know any better, anyway) will have no reason to question your legitimacy. And then you’ll only vindicate their belief in you when you do that kick-ass job.

Hurrah for new career steps! I’ll let you know what I find out about the coaching field.

But one thing I have been seriously considering is training as a facilitator. Someone who, as a neutral party, comes into an organisation and through a meeting or series of meetings helps it to sort out a problem or strategize a plan, etc. I’ve always enjoyed public speaking and problem solving/brainstorming out loud, so I think it would be a good fit for me. And there is an element of ‘counseling’ to it – which is a career path I scored high on when I did the Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (http://www.pearsonassessments.com/tests/ciss.htm) last year. I’ve thought of life coaching too, but have the same reservations as you do, so I’d love to hear about the results of the interviews if you get them.
The one thing that has me hesitating about the facilitation thing is related to my self-confidence about experience. I think I’m pretty good at sussing out a situation and the personalities involved (and training would help even more with that), but how do I convince other people that I’m the right person to come into their workplace and help them? I think it’s because almost all the facilitators I’ve met have been older and had a full career (usually in the field in which they primarily facilitate) prior to doing the facilitation thing full time, so they seem to have have that confidence that only years of experience can bring. As a young freelancer, I wonder if you run into this issue? How do you convince yourself (and thereby others) that you can do the job? Maybe this is something you could address on Freelancedom? (Rest assured that I’m reading and I’m sure others are too!)

Okay – long comment, sorry. I should just be writing about this on my own blog, shouldn’t I?
Anyway – good luck with your research. For what it’s worth, I also think you’d be a good career counselor. Look what you got out of me after one blog post!