Kevin C. Tucker is the founder of C~Cubed Career Consulting and Coaching, is on the board for Arizona Career Development Association (ACDA) and is nationally certified as a Credentialed Career Master (CCM).

What was your first job?

My first job was working at an amusement park in Southern California (I’ll let you guess which one). I operated the world’s highest, fastest and scariest wooden racing roller coaster - well, at the time! I sent unsuspecting victims off for the ride of their life (and a serious case of white knuckle exhilaration). In a warped way, this established my life work of helping others find passion in their lives.

What is the worst job you’ve ever had?

A job that had a boss who was indecisive and I questioned his ethics. For me, and as I coach others, ethics is the foundation of all I do.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Seeing that light in a person’s face when they’ve discovered their passion in life! Many of my clients, for years, have just “gone to work.” As they discover that they can (and should) love the work they do - this is where my joy comes from.

Typically, we’ll start with an assessment (don’t worry, it not like a test!), and the results can be quite revealing. Even clients just getting out of college can see how important alignment with their career and life should be!

What is the most difficult part of your job?

Keeping focused. Just by the nature of working with individuals and their careers, much of the coaching could go in many different directions. Seeing that one’s career touches on everything they do, this is understandable! As he was writing a letter to someone, a guy by the name of Benjamin Franklin once said, “I apologize for this note being so long, I didn’t have time to write it correctly.” What was he saying? Basically, “I didn’t take the time to get focused.” This is key for someone to be in alignment with the direction they should be going.

How long have you been a career coach?

In one sense, my whole career, but with many different titles: military service, a recruiter, a human resources manager/director, a career development adviser, and finally as a career coach.

What advice would you give to people who want to change careers?

Ask yourself this question, “why?” Is there something you don’t like about your current job? The industry? The boss? The company? Do you know what your talents and strengths are? In the assessment that our clients start out with, we compare a person’s present work environment to their ideal work environment - talk about an eye-opening exercise! Many people want to change their career (they say about 80 percent of the people out there are not happy with what they are doing); but for true joy and happiness, you must be aligned with your talents and strengths!

What is the most misunderstood part of your job?

I would say probably how I connect with people. It’s not an exact science; I approach every client’s needs uniquely. We have a program where we partner with individuals to help them discover their true passion for their career; we give them the tools to make it happen including individual coaching and group networking. It’s rather hard to put that into words!

One distinction I’ll often make is that I coach individuals (and companies every now and then); it’s not counseling.

Which professions are in demand in Arizona right now?

The two big ones are hospitality and customer support (call centers) - keep in mind; it takes all levels of various positions in these areas.

Any other advice or thoughts?

Everyone, at all levels, needs a coach or mentor. Think about Tiger Woods - undoubtedly, the best golfer in the world. He takes advice from a coach and reinvents his swing!

Similarly, with your career, having someone with experience and an objective opinion of your situation can only help your focus. Some (coaches) in this industry take different approaches, but with my experience, I work face to face with individuals seeking to make a career change. Let’s face it; most of our communication is face to face. As I work with clients, I call it “learning to read between the words.” Yes, you might get something out of a phone dialog with someone, but the conversation will improve ten-fold by meeting with a coach face to face.

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