A health coaching career was almost unheard of a decade ago, but with the current state of the population’s health, this career has begun to blossom. If you have an interest in health and your friends always seem to ask for your opinion on what’s “good for you”, then this career might be for you. Or if you have a passion for health and wellness and want to start helping others, keep reading! There are multiple different options to start pursuing this field.
-
Decide if you want to start your own health coaching business, or get hired.
Making the decision to starting your own business
or choosing to get hired will change some of these steps. These two routes differ significantly and it’s essential to figure it out first.
If you decide you would rather become hired as a health coach, you’ll have more luck finding jobs with a bachelor’s degree in a health and sciences major. After completing this, you’ll want to find a certification program right for you. After or during this process, start looking for a certification program to become an official health coach.
If you want to start your own business, a bachelor’s degree isn’t necessary, and you can go straight to the certification program. However, you’ll have some learning to do on the business side of things. Becoming an entrepreneur requires hard work and discipline and doesn’t guarantee a set salary, but it can provide freedom. When taking this path, look into getting a business coach and start researching how to make your business le
2. Get some work experience
After completing your certification, you’ll want to start looking for beta clients. Especially when starting your own business, you need something called “proof of concept”, or evidence of your skills in coaching. Even if you’ve done all the training, applying it in real life requires more application. Find a friend who has expressed interest in learning from you before, and offer to health coach them for free. This gives you a chance to test out your skills, gain confidence, and show others your reliability. If you decide to go the hired route it looks good on a resume to have some actual experience and practice.
HOT TIP: In exchange for your free health coaching service, ask your beta client to give feedback and a testimonial. When other potential clients start looking for a health coach, seeing someone else rave about your expertise increases your proof of concept. Make sure to advertise every testimonial you have!
3. Start applying for jobs (for the hired choice)
Some insurance companies such as Blue Cross Blue Sheild, Cigna, Aetna, and UnitedHealth Group all hire health coaches. Other health and wellness Solution Providers also look to hire health coaches such as Quantum Health, WellCall, Health Dialog, and Healthways. Sometimes a more unique option becomes available such as working at a fitness gym or networking with doctors in the area for referrals.
However, it’s important to know the differences between wellness careers and knowing your scope of practice.
Health coaches are NOT Registered Dietitians. Dietitians often work alongside doctors, accrue more training and education, and are the only field allowed to prescribe and write out a meal plan. Although health coaches remain responsible for staying up to date on nutrition, they mainly focus on behavior change and overall wellness. Health coaches also contrast fitness trainers as they work with people often in a gym setting or creating workout programs to help people gain muscle or lose weight.
If you decided to start a business…
1. Get the word out there! 
Let all your friends and social media know. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you do, because you’re in charge of your own advertising.
2. Create a website
Have a place where people can sign up, make a payment, and read about your program. You can also decide if you want to do all your coaching virtually online or in person. You can start health coaching with the people you know around you, and eventually try to scale using platforms such as blogs and social media.
3. Have a signature program
Before selling anything, you need to know what you offer. Figure out what kind of health coach you are and what you help people do. How long do you work with clients? Do you have specific topics you like to cover? After you’ve received your certification, you’ll have a broader knowledge of how to help people make behavior changes. However to have an edge over your competitors, have something to make you stand out.
And just like that, you can start chasing your dream of becoming a health coach! It’s hard work, but definitely worth it, as you can help better people’s lives through the work you do. You’ve got this!