The benefits of contacting a career consultant or career coach can only be if with their help you quickly achieve the career results you need with the feeling that you have not wasted your money, but invested it into your future. Although, in Russia and the CIS countries, more and more people and organizations offer career consulting and coaching services, not all of them have service standards and a good reputation. Everything that is written later in this article is equally applicable to consultants and coaches .For non-specialists, the difference may not be obvious and unprincipled, however, it is important to understand this difference. CAREER COUNSELING: Helps the Client in the form of ready-made practical recommendations for solving a career problem, based on the past experience and knowledge of the consultant. CAREER COACHING: Helps the Client pay attention to various aspects career problem/situation, increase awareness in decision-making, think through the steps and implement your plan. And if a career specialist knows only the methods of consulting or only coaching, then he is, at best, 50% effective. So, what are the benefits of contacting a consultant? or really had a career coach, it is important to choose the right one. Moreover, when choosing a specialist, many people usually rely either on the recommendations of friends and acquaintances or on the intuitive feeling of “liked or disliked.” But this does not in any way guarantee that this particular a career consultant or coach will be able to help you. When you read this article, your choice can become as informed as possible. I will tell you about the criteria by which you can evaluate a consultant or career coach even before you pay money for his services. And , in general, it makes sense to compare at least 2-3 specialists before making the final choice. Three steps to get to know a career services specialist: Website Start contact by phone or e-mail Personal meeting Let's look at them in more detail