Intersectionality In Career Coaching

Women often face obstacles in both their business and professional lives because of their gender. They tend to make lower salaries than their male counterparts and are less likely to be promoted to executive level positions. Women have been put in the position of feeling the need to chose between motherhood and their careers.

Career Coaching is a process in which a coach partners with a client to develop and implement a strategic plan for career transition. The executive suite is where the major important decision is made and unfortunately, it is the least diverse office in the organization. The strategic plan highlights the strengths of the client in order for them to overcome barriers that have stalled the client’s ascension. When working with African American women clients, and assisting them comprehensively the coach must understand how intersectionality affects the coaching trajectory and the professional life of the client. Intersectionality is a theory and term that delineates the relationship between a person’s identity such as gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation, and class, which shows up in an interdependent manner. The element of
African American women have a unique set of needs that affect their professional lives. Through career, coaching with me the potential for upward mobility is paramount. We will incorporate negotiation methods into the coaching that will focus on self-confidence, how to assert oneself, identify, and highlight necessary skills, which results in a more, tailored resume. We will identify what resources are available to assist with ascension, how to respond to discriminatory situations, and highlight specific techniques to avoid feelings of