How to Become a Life Coach in New Mexico
If you have a gift for motivating others, you might want to consider becoming a life coach. In New Mexico, this career field has an active job market, and it’s sure to keep growing as more and more people become interested in self-improvement. Life coaches offer personal services to clients who need help setting and reaching all sorts of goals.
Some life coaches specialize in helping clients become fit and lose weight, while others help individuals improve their finances. Relationships, career changes and more can be managed with the help of a life coach. Often, life coaches are self-employed, but some are hired by large organizations to work in-house. Life coach salary and job options are largely dependent on experience level, because life improvement is a learned and refined skill.
What are the Requirements?
Becoming a life coach doesn’t require formal training or certification, but you’ll need these tools to build a successful career. After you’ve graduated high school or earned your GED, it’s wise to enroll in a life coach training program, preferably one that’s accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Training will teach you all the necessary skills and perspectives you need to do a great job. After training, certification through an organization like ICF will show potential clients you’re properly trained and competent in the field. You can call yourself a life coach without going through training and certification, but clients are more likely to pay professionals with qualifications.
Learn the Tools of the Trade
New Mexico doesn’t offer many in-person, ICF-accredited life coach training programs, but there are plenty available online. Here are a couple of options to consider:
- Success Unlimited Network (SUN). The school is located in Virginia, but New Mexico residents can take basic and advanced life coach training via distance learning methods like online and phone training. The SUN program is unique in that it uses perspectives from Sports Psychology and Management studies in the area of life coaching. This school is accredited by both ICF and the Association of Coach Training Organizations (ACTO).
- American Life Coach Academy, INC. With another training program that can be taken online, this Maryland-based school offers live virtual learning, too. Students can choose one form of study or combine them. The hybrid program includes one weekend of face-to-face training in a nearby city. Also accredited by ICF, this program offers lifetime career support to its graduates.
Where to Get Certified
Many organizations offer life coach certification, so you should select credentials that are well-known and respected. When you decide to become certified, look into the ICF’s selection of credentials. Three levels are available with various amounts of experience and training:
- Associated Certified Coach (ACC). Requires 60 hours of accredited training and 100 hours of coaching experience
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC). Requires 125 hours of accredited training and 500 hours of coaching experience
- Master Certified Coach (MCC). Requires 200 hours of accredited training and 500 hours of coaching experience
New Mexico Life Coach Salary and Job Outlook
As of October 2019, the average salary for New Mexico life coaches was $24,414, according to job website ZipRecruiter.com. Incomes ranged from $17,329 (which is a high minimum compared to other states) to $31,993. Life coach salaries are usually largely dependent on experience and credentials, but New Mexico’s small window of pay for these professionals suggests it may be difficult to advance higher in your career, even with a very active life coach job market within the state. You can probably build a strong foundation in your life coach career in New Mexico, but you may have to eventually relocate for advancement or do much of your work with clients remotely.
Where to Work in New Mexico
Albuquerque is an excellent place to get started with your life coach career, because life coaches in this area average a higher income than those across the state, at $33,705 per year according to Salary.com. Other large cities such as Las Cruces, Santa Fe and Roswell will provide more opportunities to gain clients because of their larger populations. No matter the location, with a determined attitude, proper training and certification, you can build a strong life coach career foundation in New Mexico.