Last week, I've shared the big idea behind effective employability coaching: 

You need a system that combines practical tools with the structure to actually use them.

So without further ado, I want to share a step-by-step process that explains how this works.

Start with a curated toolkit of sources you can actually trust.

This means identifying 3-5 primary data sources (think DOL, NACE, Georgetown CEW—not random LinkedIn influencers) and building a simple system to vet new information before you share it with clients.

Common mistake to avoid: Bookmarking everything "just in case." 

That's how you end up with 200 saved articles you'll never read. Instead, it’s worth asking, "Will I realistically use this with a client in the next 90 days?" 

If not, let it go.

Teach clients that getting hired isn't about "soft skills" anymore. 

It's about demonstrating the right combination of technical skills, transferable skills, and self-management skills while also showing how they apply in real-world contexts.

When you can help a client articulate their value this way, they stop sounding like everyone else and they start moving their career forward.

Imagine a client says, "I'm a good communicator." That's generic. 

You help them reframe it:

 "I facilitated a cross-departmental project that reduced miscommunication errors by 30%." 

Now your clients know how to show impact, not just claim skills.

This is where most coaches get stuck because they use the same approach for every client.

But a 24-year-old new grad needs a different strategy than a 55-year-old career changer. 

An introvert approaches networking differently than an extrovert. 

Someone targeting corporate finance needs different tactics than someone going into creative fields.

Your framework should flex to fit the person in front of you, not force everyone into the same box.

Before jumping into strategy, ask three questions: 

What do you want? 

Why now? 

What's getting in the way? 

The answers tell you which methods will actually work for this specific client.

The best job search plan in the world doesn't work if your client gives up after two weeks of silence.

You need to coach the person, not just the process. That means helping clients manage rejection, stay consistent when motivation dips, and maintain boundaries so they don't burn out.

When I was career coaching, I used to help my clients build a "fallback task" system. 

On days when a high-energy task like networking felt impossible, my clients would switch to something lower-energy but still productive like polishing their LinkedIn summary, organizing contacts, or updating one bullet point on their resume. 

This maintains progress without pressure.

When you have a system, you're not starting from scratch every time.

✔ You spend less time prepping and more time actually coaching. 

✔ Your clients get better results because you're working from evidence, not guesswork. 

✔ And you finally feel like the confident professional you trained to be.

This is the exact framework I teach inside The Confident Career Coach System—my comprehensive, NCDA-approved course for career professionals who want to deliver high-impact coaching without the burnout.

More on that very soon.

Later this week,  I'm tackling the most common questions I hear from coaches about this approach, including "How do I adapt this for different generations?" and "What if I don't have time to build a whole new coaching system?"

Talk soon,

Heather

P.S. One coach told me the credibility filter alone saved her 3+ hours a week. She stopped second-guessing herself and started trusting the sources she'd vetted. That change massively reduced her admin time.