There are actually three questions here: why, where and how to become a certified life coach. If you don’t have good answers to all three of these questions, you might be making some big mistakes. Let’s take these one at a time. Follow the guidelines presented below, search the internet, study the material taught, insist on lots of actual coaching experience in addition to course material, and look for a clear track record of successful graduates and clients.

Why Become a Certified Coach

Becoming “certified” at anything implies that you have officially achieved a recognized standard. You have been acknowledged by an authoritative body for successfully completing a comprehensive course of study. And this gives assurance to prospective clients that you are skilled, competent and adhere to high standards of professional conduct. Clearly, achieving a bona fide certification in any professional field is a desirable plus.

Where to Become Certified

How to become a certified coach leads directly to the question of where are you becoming certified and just who is doing the certification. Since coaching is an unregulated profession, anyone can offer certification for the completion of any coaching program. Look for programs that include certification by highly regarded professional organizations, like the International Coach Federation. Alternatively, look for well established coaching programs from coaching schools that offer certifications and that are members of these professional organizations. Beyond this be prepared for your “certification” to be a questionable marketing tool rather than a professional designation.

How to Become a Certified Life Coach

Let’s change our focus from “how to become a certified life coach” to “how to become a very effective life coach.” Just as a highly self-motivated student at a decent community college can get a good education, while a lazy student, who sleeps through classes at an Ivy League School cannot, a lot of what you take away from any program is a combination of what you bring to the table and how hard you apply yourself. What I look for in any coaching training program is that it is science-based and includes large amounts of coaching and being coached, in a monitored setting. And remember that at any point in your career as a coach, you are just beginning to learn.

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Dave Iuppa
JTS Advisors Strategy and Accountability Coach