You’ve heard that successful people have coaches and mentors so you are curious about seeing if you can afford one and find one that helps you achieve your goals. But you have no idea how to get started nor how to vet these coaches. Don’t worry — I’ve got you covered!

1/Review Their Resume

The best coach or mentor is one who has proven experience and success in business. It is even better if they have achieved what you want to achieve and know all about your industry. However, this might not be necessary if your goals are more overarching, such as imposter syndrome, perfectionism, or organization. Regardless, it only makes sense to hire someone to help you with success if they had success. Also, look at their areas of expertise closely. If they got all their clients on Facebook and you know your clients are on Linkedin, it’s probably not the right coach. Find someone whose expertise matches the skills you need to master.

2/Stay Local Unless You Have High Trust

Working internationally can be great but depending on the investment, you will not have the same protections for legal and financial recourse should you fall prey to a dishonest coach or mentor. Be safe and only hire in a different country if you are very sure the coach is trustworthy or you are willing to take the risk of losing your investment.

3/Search For Complaints

The oldest and most reputable website database for checking on a business in the USA is the Better Business Bureau. You can search by the name of the business to look for any negative reports here. If you are based outside of the USA, look for the equivalent agency in your country. Also, check social media since you should be able to read reviews and get a sense of the satisfaction rate working with this coach or mentor. Lastly, trade associations may be a good source to check on a coach or mentor’s reputation. Keep in mind that not all negative complaints are justified. Occasionally, a disgruntled consumer will post a negative review, even for an excellent coach or mentor, so be objective when reviewing feedback.

4/ Consider Years of Experience

Generally, you would think that the longer a coach or mentor has been in business, the better they will be able to serve you since they should have by then a clear system and roadmap compared to freshly minted coaches. However, this also depends on what you are looking for. If a high level of professionalism and vetted systems are important, go for the most experienced coach.

5/ Consume Their Free Content First

If you follow them on social media, watch their live videos, or read their articles, do you feel connected? Does their message appeal to you? It is always a good idea to first check out a coach online to decide if you want to learn more.

6/ Check If Their Offerings Match Your Needs

Are they coaching in the areas you need it? What type of coaching packages or programs do they offer? Do their offerings appeal to you? This is the point where you should also determine if 1:1 coaching or a mastermind might be better for you. Weigh out your options so you find the best offering.

7/ Speak to A Few Different Coaches

You can meet with more but three is a great number to gain a sense of who you felt most aligned with. If a coach doesn’t offer a free vetting call, this is probably not the right coach for you.

8/ Check Out Who Their Clients Are

Under Testimonials and Recommendations, you should be able to see the types of clients they work with as well as some of the concrete results they describe they were able to achieve. You can tell a lot about a coach by looking at their roster of clients.

9/ Do An Ego Check on the Coach

Coaches who are always talking about how good/wealthy/successful they are are often narcissists and should be avoided. Seek out a coach who is an empath with a giving nature and you will find someone who genuinely cares about you.

10/ Ask About Communication

Communication with a coach is key but never assume anything without asking. Some coaches don’t respond to messages and have a strict no-contact policy outside of sessions. Others are available for ongoing direct messages or voice mails. Lastly, some will even charge per message! It is important to ask upfront to avoid surprises later on and especially to figure out your communication needs.

Coaching can change your life. I highly recommend anyone serious about their career and work to hire a coach or mentor. It is not an expense but an investment in yourself and you should clearly define the ROI you want to achieve by hiring them in advance. Over your career, you should always have support in the form of a coach or mastermind or a job mentor who guides you. Invest in yourself and you can’t go wrong!