While the image gave a snapshot of the pitfalls, here is a more nuanced take on each of the pitfalls. Read below👇

1) Is the Institution ICF Accredited

While this may sound very basic, but the reality is that many firms and coaches do not have ACTIVE Coaching Credential. A litmus test would be to search the Coach Trainer or the Institution on ICF Website or ask the coach for the Credentials (and whether they have renewed their credentials)

The focus here is on the word “Institution.” Recently ICF has been emphasizing that the Coach Training should be provided by a registered firm/institution not by individual coaches in their personal capacity!

Hence, while selecting the Coach Training Institute – check for Accreditation for Level 1 or 2 or 3

2) Do they offer Mentoring also?

As per ICF requirements, the learner coach has to get 60 hours of Training + 10 hours of Mentoring (towards ICF ACC Credential). Many Coaching Institute offer only the Training and then charge separately for Mentoring! 

Since they do not offer Mentoring, these institutions offer lower prices. Aspiring coaches fall for the lower prices only to discover later the additional hidden charges.

A good question to ask your Coach Trainer is – Do you offer Mentoring Support also? Is mentoring factored in the pricing you are quoting?

3) Who is your Trainer?

Identifying and talking to your trainer (and not the salesperson from the institution) is extremely important! You ought to know the background of the Trainer/Mentor and their Coaching and ICF Coaching Certification and Training experience.

At times, the Core Trainer for the program becomes a guest appearance. The accessibility to the trainer/mentor is critical for your success as a Coach. Also ensure that the Coach Training is LIVE, not the pre-recorded sessions where one-way interaction happens! After all, Real life Coaching is a conversation – not a pre-recorded session.

A good question to ask while selecting the Coach Training Institute is – How accessible is the core trainer? Are the sessions synchronous (meaning LIVE training) or the sessions are Pre-Recorded?

4) What is their Credentialing Rate?

ICF Coaching Certification & Coaching Credential are two different things. Certificate is issued by the training Institute, while Credentialing is given by ICF. The goal is to get ICF Credential (ACC, PCC or MCC badge) and not stop at mere Certification. 

The question arises, What is Credentialing rate?

Simplistically put, Credentialing Rate is how many coaches from the Institute (which you want to select) become ICF Credentialed Coaches. It is like the Success rate of the Coach Training Institute. If the need be; talk to a few of their trained coaches to get a feel of how the training and the entire experience is… Another soft indicator (if you are inclined to do research) is to search the LinkedIn and social media of the Coach Training Institute and see the recent coach that got the ICF Credential from them! 

A good question to ask the Coach Trainer is: What is the success rate of Coaches becoming ICF Credentialed? Can I talk to a recently Credentialed Coach to get a first-hand feel of what the coach-training process is like?

5) Last-Mile Community Support

Becoming a Coach is a Marathon – not a Sprint. 

It takes effort, practice, and last-mile support from the community to become a Coach! It takes an ecosystem to shape a good Coach. The community supports in coaching practice, nudging each other to complete the credentialing process, handholding in the last mile to apply for the ICF, assistance in preparing for the ICF Credentialing Exam and in many other ways. 

Community is an overlooked aspect in the journey of becoming a Coach.

The last mile of handholding is critical for a seamless experience. The journey doesn’t end with Training + Mentoring alone! 

A good question to ask is – What is the community support you offer as a Coach training institution? How do you help me in preparing for the ICF Credentialing Exam? Do you have frequent events for your own community of coaches?

Financial Rol

This means you can recover your investment within a year of beginning your ICF coaching career, even if you take on just two clients. This is the benefit of getting an ICF coaching certification from the best ICF accredited program.