Three different problems, three different services. Here's the diagnostic.
You need career coaching when:
You don't know what role you want next
You're considering a pivot but haven't committed
You're navigating an AI shift and unsure how to position
You're between offers and trying to choose
Your current role works but the 5-year path is unclear
You're senior, accomplished, and quietly stuck
You need reverse recruitment when:
You know the role you want
The market exists for it
You want to reduce the time and energy to land
You're in active search mode
You need neither when:
Your direction is clear AND your search is moving
Your current role is working AND you have a credible 3-5 year path
You're in early career and the "what next" question hasn't sharpened yet (most early-career investments don't pay coaching ROI yet)
The clearest signal you need career coaching:
You've had the same career question for 6+ months and haven't moved on it. Either it's not the right question (which a coach helps surface), or it's the right question and you don't have the structure to act on it (which a coach provides).
The coaching work is conversations, frameworks, and structured thinking, usually 6-12 sessions across 3-6 months.
If you're sitting with one of these and not sure: DM me. Sometimes the answer after one conversation is "you don't need this yet", and that's fine.
— Dr. Hosney Adel