Coaches help their clients "move."  Move to perform better, move up to new responsibilities or a bigger job. Seldom (except for entrepreneurial succession) has moving on been a key part of the agenda.  Today, however, helping clients accept moving on as their best, and perhaps only, alternative, and helping the client make it happen is challenging coaches in new and creative ways.

It's new territory for the client, as well.  The person you have been relying on in a traditional coaching relationship to help you achieve more, fit in better, negotiate the transition to greater responsibility may, or may not, be the right person to help navigate the treacherous waters of career change.  

For the CLIENT
When moving on, understanding the importance of who and what come next are critical.  You should be aware:

• if your company provides outplacement, the consultant may replace your coach and will have skills targeted to helping accelerate your transition, although they will not have the knowledge of your strengths and problem areas that your coach has built up over time;
• if you continue working with your coach, you will probably have to renegotiate your goals and accountabilities;
• your full-time job becomes getting a new job and part of that job is mustering your best resources into the effort;and,
• in the emerging social fabric, your "network" and the proliferation of social networking opportunities and online job boards, makes it essential to keep your options open.  Develop your social networks before there is ever a question of job transition.

For the COACH
When working with a client in career transition:

• Helping a client recognize that moving on may need to be considered as a posibility sooner, rather than later, can be key in helping them prepare for possible layoffs, retirement or other job changes;
• determine early if you, or someone else, can best help the client through the transition.  The sometimes used strategy of staying one or two chapters ahead seldom does service to you or to them in this scenario;
• if coaching through the process, remember assaults to the client's self esteem go along with moving on, (for example, the client's replacement may be younger, better educated, and/or even better looking).  The decision to terminate may have been largely political, rather than performance based; and,
• employment in a similar situation, or at current salary levels may not be possible while benefits and retirment funds may have shrunken dramatically.  

For both the coach and client, career transitions present an opportinity for movement. Finding the right balance of skills and insight is crucial in getting results.