Anyone looking for advice about their job will quickly find what they are looking for on Google. But not everyone who offers advice is qualified to do so.

Career coaching can help in many situations: For example, if you feel like your job isn't going well, you often benefit from an outside perspective to reposition yourself. However, coaching can also backfire - for example if a coach or consultant lacks the necessary expertise, experience or simply a feel for the situation.

"Bad advice can destroy careers," warns Philip Semmelroth , who works as a consultant for the self-employed and entrepreneurs. In principle, it makes a lot of sense to talk to experts in order to achieve your goals. "But that only helps if the other person is qualified in this area and knows what they are talking about."

One problem is a lack of experience in career coaching. "Many people overestimate their own know-how," says Semmelroth. "This leads to advice that may sound good, but is detached from practice and does not work in complex circumstances." To prevent this from happening, interested parties should consider a few things when selecting a coach or consultant:

1. Don't be fooled by the website

Basically, a coach or consultant should have an online presence. If someone can't be found on Google, I would stay away from that person," says Semmelroth. But even a fancy website can be misleading: "It's not difficult to set up a professional-looking website."

That's why the website should pass an initial check: Is there an imprint? Is there a telephone number? Can you reach the person using that? What are their office hours? "If I always get an answering machine, I'd be suspicious," says Semmelroth. "But if someone is available 24/7, that's not a good sign either, because I can assume that they don't have any other customers to deal with."

2. Question customer feedback

Many coaches and consultants cite customer opinions and testimonials to underline their skills. "You should make sure that these people have different backgrounds and that the information is understandable," says the expert. What is praised also plays a role: the friendly manner, for example, or concrete solutions?

If the website also mentions a team, "we" or "us," the other people should be tangible and introduced on an "About Us" page, for example. "Otherwise, anyone can pretend that they are so successful that they employ a team."

3. Review publications

If someone has published several books, this also speaks for their expert status. "They should be published by a regular publisher and not by self-publishing," says Semmelroth. He advises buying a person's book first before booking a consultation or coaching session. "This way you can see whether you can follow a person's thoughts and whether they are coherent."

Ideally, the respective website also lists press releases that also underline the person's status as an expert. "If a person is also a speaker, I would also check in which contexts they appear."

4. Follow social media presence

Semmelroth also advises taking a look at a person's social media activities - also from his own experience. He once advised a person who had booked a YouTube coach. "I looked up this coach on YouTube and saw that 81 people were following him there. How can someone who doesn't even have a relevant number of followers credibly help others to become more famous on YouTube?"

Accordingly, a career coach should have a profile on a professional network such as LinkedIn. "However, I also see a lot of orphaned profiles there where there is no activity at all," says the expert. On the other hand, it is a good sign if someone is actively involved there and not only shares relevant posts, but also reacts to comments and takes a stand.

5. Find out about the professional background

Anyone who wants to help others with their careers should know what they are talking about. If someone started a business as a stopgap measure out of unemployment and is now just about keeping their heads above water with coaching, this person may not be the best choice for this topic.

"A lot of things are now done online, but if you are on site, I would always try to make an appointment at someone's home," says Semmelroth. "Then you can see whether someone has their own office or has cleared out a niche somewhere in the basement, which would not be noticeable on a video call."

6. Don't let yourself be rushed

An initial consultation should be free of charge. "A coach should not be focused on a deal, but should make a visible effort to understand the situation and find out whether and how he can help," says the expert. "You shouldn't have the feeling that you've been thrown into a chicken coop as the only grain that everyone is fighting over."

Caution is advised if someone wants to sell a whole package in the initial meeting. "You should also check what an exit strategy looks like if you realize during the coaching that it is not a good fit," says Semmelroth. Artificial scarcity is also unprofessional: "If someone advertises discounts that are only valid for a short time, I would always be cautious."

7. Question your own motivation

Coaching alone is not enough for your career - you also have to be prepared to implement the suggestions. "Before you spend money on advice, you should ask yourself whether you are really prepared to work on yourself and change something," says Semmelroth. "Otherwise, you can spend a long time being coached while your own situation remains the same."

[via GQ Germany]