If you're in career transition there are many ways a good job search coach / career coach can help you get the job you want, faster than you would on your own.

Time is money, so the investment in expert help can more than pay for itself.

How can you use a career coach?

Overcoming your unique job search challenges.

Nearly everyone faces some kind of difficulty in their job search. Are you:

Trying to break into a new line of work?

Struggling to overcome an unusual or uneven work history?

An older worker concerned about age discrimination?

Reentering the job market after being a stay-at-home parent?

Downshifting out of the fast lane into an encore career?

Just not getting results?

A coach can help you strategize your path forward and position yourself powerfully in the eyes of employers.

Ensuring your job search strategy and techniques are up to date and effective.

Applying to openings you find on job boards isn't enough. You need to know how to do a proactive campaign including networking and social media (definitely LinkedIn, and possibly other platforms). A good coach knows how to cut through the clutter and focus your efforts on what really works.

Making networking less stressful and more effective.

Most people experience a big disconnect about networking: We've all heard that it's the best way to get a job. But in "real life¨ it doesn't seem to work, or it's so uncomfortable it isn't worth the stress. The problem is that there¡¦s more to it than you think. Most people don't know the best practices that make networking easier and more effective. A coach can help you revise your strategies for better results and a more pleasant experience.

Resume review, cover letter help and LinkedIn profile tips.

You may be able to write effective job search materials on your own. But at the very least it's a good idea to have them looked over by a pro.

Job search is part art, part science, but it certainly doesn't come naturally to most of us. Why go into it without expert advice?

Providing interview coaching, so you get the offer instead of "no, thanks"

Job interviewing doesn't come naturally it's a learned skill, and once learned it will serve you for the rest of your working life. A coach can provide mock interviewing and expert feedback to help you present yourself in a way that is both authentic and strategic.

How to choose the right career coach.

Ask around, do a search on LinkedIn, read Yelp reviews. Look for a coach with training, experience and a commitment to the field. Read their website. Then have a conversation, ask questions, and get a sense of whether this person is approachable, knowledgeable and helpful.

Of course, the most important part of coaching is what you do after the session: acting on what you learn and plan in the session. If you've got the right job search coach, you should come out of each meeting well informed, energized and ready to take specific steps that will get you the job you want.