How to Become a Life Coach in Iowa

It feels good to help people achieve their dreams. That’s why life coach careers are growing in popularity. Life coaches are trained specialists who help their clients set goals, work toward them and achieve them. From fitness goals to career goals, life coaches can help people meet any type of need, depending on their specialty. Some life coaches focus on health and wellness, while others have experience with financial or career advice. Relationships, habits and life changes can all be accomplished with the help of life coaches.

Important skills needed for this job include listening and communication skills, problem-solving skills and organization. Life coaches also need to have a positive attitude and be naturally goal-oriented. To get the best starts in their careers, life coaches should enroll in life coach training through an accredited school. Life coaching courses teach important problem-solving strategies and help you learn about people’s minds and motivation, among many other life coach skills. It’s the combination of hard work, training, personality, credentials and skill that make or break the career of a life coach.

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Steps to Becoming a Life Coach

There isn’t any type of regulation imposed on life coaches in Iowa. However, to successfully become coach, you’ll need to graduate high school first. Training and certification through a professional agency like the International Coach Foundation (ICF) are also necessary to prove to clients that you’re prepared and capable of providing the services you promise.

Study for Success as a Life Coach

Because life coaching is a newer career field, in-person professional training programs seem to be sparse. However, many schools offer online training that’s accessible to anyone. These are two options:

  • Success Unlimited. This school of coaching offers multiple levels of training and is accredited by the International Coach Foundation (ICF). Training is available in basic and advanced options, and learning can be done on site, on the telephone or via distance learning. It takes at least three years of work experience before you can be admitted to this program. Basic coach training prepares you for the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential issued by the ICF.
  • American Life Coach Academy, INC. Students at this school can choose from three learning styles: in-person, on-site learning, virtual online learning, or a hybrid of both. There are three coaching programs available to students. Each program lasts 60 credits and prepares students for different levels of ICF credentials. Graduates from this program are offered lifetime support in their careers.

Life Coach Certification Types

The International Coach Foundation (ICF) is the most widely recognized organization that certifies life coaches and accredits education programs. They offer three levels of certification to those who meet education and experience requirements. Levels of certification are: Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC).

Life Coach Salaries in Iowa

Once you get going, life coaching can offer a steady income. According to Ziprecruiter.com, life coaches in Iowa earned an average annual income of $53,882 per year, or $26 per hour, as of October of 2019. However, life coach incomes ranged from as little as $12,944 to $140,071 per year. It’s clear that experience and certifications greatly impact the life coach pay rate. Whether life coaches work part-time or full-time also affects their salaries.

Where Do They Work?

Ziprecruiter.com continuously scans active job listings across the country and collects statistical data about employment, salary, education levels and more. In October 2019, Ziprecruiter.com reported the average annual income for life coaches in Des Moines, Iowa, to be $59,438 per year. It also reported that job recruiting for life coaches is very active in Des Moines and the surrounding area. Cedar Rapids and Davenport also have large populations, so they may have more clients in need of life coach services as well. Regardless of where you start your career, skills and experience gained over time will be the key to your success as a life coach.