“Will AI take our work?”
AI’s reach has extended into almost every corner of the workforce, including our own career coaching. Like many professions, we find ourselves asking: Will the quick fixes AI offers replace what we do?
The truth is, the future of work is uncertain. AI is rapidly colonising vast areas of routine labour, especially transactional and rules-based tasks that are predictable and repetitive. These include scheduling, data analysis, and even parts of professional services. Career coaching is no exception: CVs, application forms, and even interview preparation can now be handled by AI. But the question remains, can we trust it?
The Limits of AI
At present, AI still struggles with what makes us deeply human: genuine connection, creativity, ethical judgment, intuitive insight, and context-sensitive decision-making. It does not carry lived experience, or grasp consequences or care about outcomes with any integrity.
Even in career coaching, what matters most is not the “fix” but the process. True coaching is not about matching someone to a job in a transactional way; it is about uncovering who they are at their core. This means weaving together heart, mind, history, and imagination to help someone see themselves more clearly and move forward with clarity.
About being Human-Centred
Human-centred career coaching feels less like a service and more like a relationship. At its best, it is akin to having the wise and supportive parent you always wished for: someone who walks alongside you, helps you see your strengths, and reconnects you with your own capable, confident self.
Career professionals don’t provide “quick fixes.” Instead, they help people repair, prepare, and equip themselves with tools to navigate change. This work strengthens self-awareness, resilience, and agency, qualities that AI cannot replicate.
The Difference Between AI and Human Caring
Yes, young people may already turn to ChatGPT or similar tools for advice, like a “wise parent.” Clever programming allows it to mimic empathy, provide guidance, and even appear to “get under the skin.” But does it have a conscience? Can it truly put a person’s best interests above its own design and ultimate agenda to be profitable?
Human-centred coaching is built on trust, depth, and real human connection. It is not about efficiency (although that is a benefit); it is about meaningful support. When people regain confidence in themselves, they develop resilience and clarity, enabling them to make career choices that are strategic and also aligned with their values and sense of self. This is a settling experience when other support is not.
CareerEQ’s Commitment
At CareerEQ, we use AI where it can help as a supportive tool, not as a replacement for human insight or experience. Our focus remains on connecting the depth of a person’s character with work that reflects who they are, their history, and their aspirations - having as our foundation an understanding of human development, fulfilment, and what builds resilience.
Kaye Avery
CareerEQ