Not All Coaching Certifications Are Created Equal: Here’s What to Look For

As you take the first steps toward becoming a professional coach, and building your coaching practice, we believe it's critical that you become certified—not only for your clients, but also for you as a coach, and for the potential growth and success of your business. You can read our blog post about it here.

Of course, there are so many choices available when it comes to coach training and certification. So as you look into them, what are the criteria for selecting one?

It's true: all coach training and certification programs have different benefits to offer. Here at Radiant Coaches Academy, we believe great certification programs contain certain, specific elements, and we've outlined six of them for you here:

1. A great coach training program is approved by a coaching association.

The International Coach Federation (ICF) is considered the gold standard in the coaching industry. Its accreditation is considered a “gold seal” when it comes to certification programs. Clients seeking coaches often use ICF-accreditation as a determining factor in whether to hire a certain coach. It's one of the things that prospects believe sets the “top” coaches apart—so why wouldn't you choose an ICF-accredited program? (Radiant Coaches Academy offers ICF-accredited training.)

2. A great coach training program provides foundational coaching training.

Although you may already know which niche you'll specialize in (coaching in relationships, health, finances, career, etc.), there are certain basic, foundational coaching skills you'll need to ensure your coaching is as effective as possible. These skills are the same, no matter what you specialize in. (At Radiant Coaches Academy, we focus on holistic paradigms that bring harmony to all aspects of a client's life.)

3. A great coach training program gives you actual, hands-on experience.

When it comes to training, nothing is more important than real-world experience. Look for a training program that offers you a chance to coach (and be coached) so you can practice having actual coaching conversations. All the great features some programs include (fancy technology, endorsements from famous people, and quick certification) are great, but they're even better when they're accompanied by a chance to practice—because doing is learning. (At Radiant Coaches Academy, for example, we include practical coaching experience in our training. Our students get to “coach” us, we coach them, and we guide them through what to do in various situations.)

4. A great coach training program—for you—fits your values.

One of the great things about the multitude of certification programs available is that you can find one that closely aligns with your values. Whether you plan to coach from a certain worldview (a religious or spiritual one, for example), or with a certain lifestyle in mind (for example, exclusively online coaching so you can travel), you can almost certainly find training that will empower you to do so effectively. In turn, this will help you find ideal clients whose values align with yours. (At Radiant Coaches Academy, we place a strong emphasis on whole-life balance. It's our goal to give you what you need to build a radiant life and coaching practice!)

5. A great coach training program gives you some level of business training.

Going into business for yourself—no matter the field or industry—requires some business knowledge. Of course, you'll develop that once you hang out your shingle, but why not find a certification program that incorporates some important business-building training, too? You'll want to look for a program with some marketing, lead generation, and back-end training built in. (For example, Radiant Coaches Academy's Holistic Coach certification program includes an entire module on branding and marketing, and we also give graduates their own websites at no cost to them, so they're ready to launch their professional online presence immediately!)

6. A great coach training program is taught by true professionals (a.k.a. people who have experience coaching!).

If you were learning to cook, you wouldn't ask for help from someone who'd never set foot in a kitchen, would you? So why should coaching be any different? At Radiant Coaches Academy, we've heard many of our graduates call the certification process a journey of self-discovery as well as a professional education. It only makes sense that you'd want to seek the guidance of a trained coach as you travel this journey. (All of the trainers involved with Radiant Coaches Academy's Holistic Coach certification program are certified themselves, and each one has a passion for guiding other coaches to build successful businesses!)

In conclusion …

In the early stages of pursuing a new career as a coach, the options can feel overwhelming. Once you've decided to get certified, you'll best serve yourself and your future clients by choosing a certification program that checks all the boxes we've listed above.

If you'd like to learn more about the Holistic Coach certification program we offer at Radiant Coaches Academy, a division of Radiant Health Institute, go here.