Workplace

When Fred Alm’s efforts to land a full-time teaching job got nowhere, the 52-year-old hired an expert to revamp his résumé, said Candice Choi in the Associated Press. He’s hardly alone. Business is booming for career coaches, who charge an average of $160 an hour for advice on everything from networking to acing interviews. It’s too early to say whether the $200 that Alm put down will pay off. But he thinks anything that provides an edge in a “crowded” job market is worth it.

The trick is to find the right expert for your particular job search, said Anne Fisher in Fortune. “Anyone can call himself or herself a career coach.” What you want is an expert who’s been trained as a coach but also has “real-world experience that is comparable to yours.” Most experts should offer a free consultation. That conversation will be critical for establishing your goals, making sure that you “click” with the coach, and ascertaining how much you’ll pay—and for what. ”It’s okay to be cost-conscious,” says veteran coach John McKee. But don’t be afraid to make an investment if the relationship seems right.

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