Here's how you can acquire practical experience in personal coaching.

Start by offering free coaching sessions to friends or family to practice and get feedback. Look for volunteer opportunities with organizations where you can coach people. Join coaching programs or workshops that let you work with real clients under supervision. Find a mentor to guide you and learn from their experience. Consider internships with established coaches or coaching groups to gain hands-on skills. Get coaching certifications that include practical training. Attend coaching events to meet other coaches and learn from them. Keep track of your coaching experiences to showcase your skills. Always ask for feedback to improve your coaching.

Volunteering will certainly help broaden the horizons of a novice professional. One can try volunteering for a non-profit organization that works to support people, as well as offer services to companies and groups of people on a voluntary basis, which will significantly enrich the experience of the beginner specialist.

For me it started with experiencing coaching as a coachee' , I felt so excited with the experience that I wanted to be on the other side and I started with coaching my team members at work , helping them identify their greater cause and purpose. After volunteering for coaching for close to 2 years, I then decided to get the accreditation from ICF. This certification journey opened up a sequence of opportunities and I got access to a huge number of fellow coaches with whom I could practice and work on my craft.

Training in coaching and obtaining a certification is a crucial part of a coach's professional development. Training provides not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills, including peer coaching, which helps the coach address their own needs. Having a certification also speaks to the trust in the coach and their experience.

Every coach needs a mentor for several reasons. Firstly, mentors expand coaching toolkits with ideas, methods, and models, enhancing understanding and strategies. Secondly, mentors offer reflective feedback for personal and professional growth. Additionally, mentors provide invaluable development recommendations, supporting the enhancement of coaching skills. Ultimately, mentors strengthen influence, broaden horizons, and fortify professional journeys with wisdom and support, essential for coaching success.

Peer coaching is a beneficial stage for novice coaches to gain experience. It also provides an opportunity to see real needs, goals, and questions through colleagues, as well as allows for self-improvement in a safe and supportive environment.

I would not recommend starting a coaching practice with friends and family; obtaining objective feedback can be challenging. Another important aspect is whether your friend or family member will perceive you as a coach willing to work with them. From my experience as a mentor and supervisor for coaches, working with friends and family is not an effective way to improve experience and quality.

collaborating with experienced coaches for mentorship and guidance, participating in peer coaching or supervision sessions for feedback and learning, attending workshops, seminars, and conferences to stay updated on coaching trends and techniques, joining professional coaching associations for networking and resources, building a strong online presence through blogs, social media, and networking platforms, obtaining relevant certifications or credentials to enhance credibility, soliciting client testimonials and feedback for continuous improvement, maintaining ethical standards and confidentiality in coaching relationships, and continuously reflecting on and refining your coaching approach based on experience and feedback.