Career Coaching for Young Adults

Career coaching for young adults is one-on-one help for people roughly 18 to 30 who are unsure what work to pursue, or who know the goal but cannot get moving toward it. Blackburn matches each young adult with one dedicated mentor who helps them explore options, test them in the real world and take weekly steps, by video anywhere in the United States or in person in Los Angeles.

Who career coaching is for

Young adults and their parents usually reach out in one of these situations:

• A recent graduate whose degree does not point to an obvious job.
• Someone in their twenties working a job that pays the bills but leads nowhere.
• A young adult who did not go to college, or left, and wants a real path; see careers without a degree.
• A person weighing a trade, a certificate or more school; see trade school vs college.
• Someone who says “I don’t know what to do with my life” and means it.
• A parent who sees potential and a son or daughter who has no direction yet.

Career coaching is not job placement, and it is not therapy. If depression or anxiety is keeping someone from functioning day to day, a licensed professional should come first; a mentor can work alongside that care. In a crisis, call or text 988.

How career coaching works week to week

1. One dedicated mentor. The same person every week, matched to the young adult’s interests and personality.
2. Explore before choosing. Interests, strengths and values are mapped against real careers. Our career interest quiz and career path guides are useful starting points.
3. Test ideas in the real world. Instead of guessing, the young adult runs small tests: informational interviews, a short course, a shadow day or a part-time role.
4. Pick a direction and plan it. Once a path stands out, the mentor helps build the plan: training, applications, a resume and a timeline.
5. Weekly steps and check-ins. Sessions are usually 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, with text and phone check-ins so the steps actually happen.
6. Sessions that fit. Cost is reviewed on the free intro call.

How it differs from a typical career coach

Many career coaches serve mid-career professionals with a few sessions focused on a resume and a pitch. Young adults often need something different: help figuring out what they want, plus steady accountability while they build experience. That is why we pair career work with the rest of daily life, such as routine, money and confidence. New to the idea? Start with what coaching is and how it works. For a structured option, see coaching for young adults, a one-on-one program by video.

• Career counselor: often assessment based, a few meetings. See mentor vs career counselor.
• Personal coach: broader goals beyond work. See personal coach vs career coach.
• College career center: a good free resource while enrolled, and a mentor will push a student to use it.

How parents are involved

Parents often pay and can share hopes and worries on the intro call. The young adult sets the goals with the mentor, because a career chosen to please a parent rarely lasts. With the young adult’s permission, parents receive regular progress updates on attendance and progress. If you are not sure how to raise the idea, see how to talk to an adult child about the future.

What progress usually looks like

Early progress looks like a short list of real options and a few conversations with people doing that work. Within a few months, most young adults have a direction they chose, a plan with dates and the first steps done, such as an application, a course or a new job that builds toward the goal.

Questions to ask before hiring a career coach

1. Do you work mainly with young adults, or mainly with mid-career professionals?
2. Will the same person work with me every week?
3. How do you help someone who does not yet know what they want?
4. What happens between sessions?
5. Will you help with the job search once I have a direction?
6. What does it cost?

For more, see questions to ask before hiring a coach or mentor and how to find a mentor.

What happens after you reach out

1. A short assessment. The assessment takes about five minutes. It tells us about the young adult, the main goals and what the weekly schedule looks like.
2. A free 20-minute intro call. A member of our team hosts the call by video in your browser, weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific. You can also book it directly on the intro call page. We talk through fit, scheduling and cost; we do not publish prices, so cost is reviewed on this call.
3. A mentor match within 2 business days. After the call, we match the young adult with one dedicated mentor and set the first session. Mentors offer early morning, evening and weekend times.

Related

• Mentoring for young adults
• Mentoring for recent college graduates
• Early career mentoring
• How to find a career you love

Common questions

What age is career coaching for young adults designed for?

Mostly people from about 18 to 30, including high school graduates, college students, recent graduates and young adults already working.

Do you help with resumes and interviews?

Yes, once a direction is clear. Resumes, applications and interview practice are part of the plan, alongside finding the right direction first.

Is this only for college graduates?

No. We work with young adults on every path: college, community college, trades, certificates and jobs that do not require a degree.

Can parents pay for career coaching for an adult child?

Yes, many do. The young adult sets the goals with the mentor, and parents receive progress updates only with their permission.

Is it online or in person?

Both. Coaching is by video anywhere in the United States and in person in Los Angeles.

Get started

Want to talk through whether career coaching fits you or your young adult? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.