Career coaching is a personalised form of support that helps you clarify your professional goals, gain deeper self-awareness and move forward through a transition, development phase or career change. It may also focus on confidence, visibility, leadership or managing pressure at work. Unlike consulting, a coach does not provide ready-made solutions: they create a structured space for reflection to help you make decisions and take action.
At Coaching & Coaching, Delphine Joubert, an ICF-certified coach, supports these career reflections in both French and English, in Paris and remotely.
What is the purpose of career coaching?
Career coaching helps you to :
- Clarify a professional direction that is more closely aligned with your values and priorities.
- Identify your skills, obstacles and levers for progress so you can move forward with greater awareness
- Prepare for a transition a change of role, internal move, career change or new position.
- Structure a concrete action plan, with follow-up over time rather than a decision made in the heat of the moment.
How does career coaching work?
Coaching generally begins with a chemistry call to clarify your request and check that the framework is appropriate. This is followed by several sessions spaced out several sessions over a few weeks or months, allowing time for your thinking to mature and for actions to be put in place.
The framework is usually agreed from the outset: the working objective, number of sessions, duration and reference points to assess progress along the way. Sessions can take place face-to-face or by videoconferenceenabling remote support anywhere in France and internationally.
Career coaching or skills assessment: what's the difference?
The two approaches are complementary but distinct.
- Career coaching is exploratory: it starts with you, your aspirations and your current situation in order to open up options and create forward momentum. The emphasis is on stepping back, making decisions and taking action
- Skills assessment is more structured and formally defined: it is based on a formal evaluation of your skills and aims to define a professional project within a regulated framework, often eligible for funding.
In short: career coaching is usually chosen to reflect, decide and move forward. A skills assessment is more appropriate when you want a formal, documented review of your skills
Who is career coaching for?
Career coaching is designed for anyone at a professional turning point: a desire for change, loss of meaning, career change, stagnation, or simply a need for clarity before an important decision. It is particularly useful for:
- Professionals in transition who are aiming for a promotion, a new role or a move to another organisation.
- People considering a career change, who want to make a change of direction more securely.
- Executives, managers and senior leaders facing questions of leadership stance, decision-making and leadership.
- For those who want to gain greater clarity and confidence before committing to a project.
Are you ready for career coaching?
6 quick questions. No answers are recorded.
1. I feel a gap between my current role and what truly matters to me.
2. Certain recurring challenges keep coming up, and I want to approach them differently.
3. I find it difficult to gain clarity on my own about the direction to take.
4. I am ready to dedicate time to structured reflection over several weeks.
5. I am looking for a space for reflection, rather than ready-made advice.
6. An important professional decision is approaching, and I want to approach it thoughtfully.
Coaching seems right for you
Your answers show a real need for clarity and a readiness to move forward. A chemistry call would help define your objective precisely and identify the most appropriate format.
Coaching could be useful for you
You are at a point of questioning. Depending on what you are looking for, reflection and action, or a formal assessment of your skills, either coaching or a skills assessment may be appropriate. An initial conversation can help you choose.
The timing may not be quite right yet
Your answers suggest that your situation is relatively stable for now. A conversation is still possible if you would like to anticipate an upcoming step, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions about career coaching
How long does career coaching last?
Career coaching generally takes place over a period of a few weeks to a few months, with sessions spaced out to allow time for the reflection to mature and the actions to be put in place. The number of sessions is fixed at the outset, depending on your objective.
What's the difference between career coaching and skills assessment?
Career coaching is exploratory: it starts with you to open up options and create movement, with the emphasis on stepping back and taking action. A skills assessment is more formal and regulated, focusing on a structured evaluation of your skills. The two are complementary.
How much does career coaching cost?
For individuals, individual coaching generally starts at around €180 per hour, depending on the project and the number of sessions. For companies, each assignment is the subject of a personalised quote, which can often be funded by the OPCO. An initial discussion helps to define the framework, pace and budget before any commitment is made.
Can career coaching be done remotely?
Yes, sessions can take place face-to-face or by videoconference, which means you can be coached at a distance anywhere in France or abroad. Bilingual French/English coaching is also available.
Who is career coaching for?
Career coaching is for anyone at a professional crossroads: people who want to change, who have lost their sense of purpose, who are changing careers, who feel stagnant or who need clarity before making an important decision. It is particularly useful for evolving professionals, people undergoing retraining and executives, managers and directors.
How much does career coaching cost?
The cost of career coaching depends on the scope of the engagement, its duration, and whether it is funded individually or by a company.
- For private clients, individual coaching generally starts at around €180 per hour, depending on the project and the number of sessions. In the Paris region, fees tend to sit towards the upper end of the market range.
- For organisations, each assignment is quoted individually. Coaching can often be funded through OPCO schemes.
Coaching is usually built over time, as regularity is what produces results. An initial conversation helps define the framework, pace and budget before any commitment.