Purpose #
The coaching intake session is your first real conversation with a new student. Its job is not to solve anything — it’s to establish trust quickly, get a clear picture of where the student is right now, and agree on the focus for the coaching relationship. Done well, the student leaves feeling heard and clear. Done poorly, you spend three sessions trying to figure out what you should have established in the first twenty minutes.
A good intake session produces three things: a shared understanding of the student’s current situation, one clear goal or focus area, and a specific next step both parties are committed to.
This session is designed to create clarity and direction, not to fully resolve all issues.
Use this framework for every first coaching session with a new student — whether they’re brand new to Pathfinder Campus, starting a new program, or beginning a fresh coaching cycle after a break. It also works when a returning student has hit a major transition and needs to reset direction.
This is not the session where you review their resume or walk through a program curriculum. That comes later. This session is entirely about the person in front of you.
Step-by-Step Instructions #
Ensure the early steps clearly focus on:
- understanding the student
- clarifying their situation
- identifying priorities
👉 Before any advice or direction is given
Minutes 0–2 — Set the Frame #
Open with a warm, brief welcome and tell the student exactly how the session is going to run. This removes uncertainty and lets them relax into the conversation.
Say something like: “We have about 20 minutes today. My goal is to get a clear picture of where you are right now, what you’re trying to achieve, and what’s getting in the way. There’s nothing to prepare — just talk to me honestly and we’ll figure out the best place to start.”
Do not ask three questions at once. Do not start with logistics. Do not talk about the program. Set the frame, then hand the floor over immediately.
Minutes 2–7 — Where Are You Right Now? #
Ask one open question and listen without interrupting. Your job here is to understand their current reality — their situation, their emotional state, and what has brought them to this point.
Ask: “Tell me what’s going on for you right now — in your career, in your work, or wherever you’re feeling the most pressure.”
Let them talk. Take brief notes. Don’t coach yet. If they pause, reflect back what you heard rather than jumping in with advice. You’re listening for the gap between where they are and where they want to be — that gap is where the real coaching happens.
Minutes 7–13 — Where Do You Want to Go? #
Now shift to outcome. You need a concrete picture of what success looks like for this student, in their own words. Vague answers here (“I just want to feel better about things”) are a signal to push gently for specifics.
Ask: “If this coaching works — if it really works — what’s different six months from now? What does that look like specifically?”
If they struggle to answer, try: “Imagine we’re at your last session and you’re telling me it was worth it. What would have had to happen?”
You’re looking for something measurable or observable — a job offer, a promotion, a new business started, a decision made. Hold out for specifics before moving on.
Minutes 13–17 — What’s the Real Obstacle? #
There’s always a gap between where they are and where they want to go. Your job now is to name it together. The obstacle they mention first is often not the real one — it’s the surface issue. Dig one level deeper.
Ask: “What’s the biggest thing stopping you from getting there right now?”
Then follow up: “If we could solve just one thing over the next few months — the one thing that would unlock everything else — what would that be?”
Listen for patterns: avoidance, fear of judgment, lack of clarity, skill gaps, confidence issues. Don’t diagnose out loud — just note it. This will shape how you approach future sessions.
Minutes 17–20 — Agree on Focus and Close #
Summarise what you’ve heard, name the one focus area you’ll work on together, and agree on a concrete action before the next session. Do not end without a clear next step — vague closings break momentum.
“Next Steps” Close #
Say: “Based on what you’ve told me, it sounds like the most important thing to focus on is [X]. Does that feel right to you?”
Wait for their confirmation — or their correction. Then close with: “Before our next session, I’d like you to [specific action]. Can you commit to that?” The action should be small enough to actually happen and meaningful enough to move something forward.
Confirm next steps, including actions for the student and whether follow-up coaching is required.
Key Questions to Ask #
Use these selectively — don’t ask all of them. Choose the ones that fit the conversation as it unfolds.
- “Tell me what’s going on for you right now.” — Opens the conversation without leading them anywhere.
- “What brought you to Pathfinder Campus at this point in your life?” — Gets at motivation and timing, which reveals urgency.
- “If this coaching works, what’s different six months from now?” — Forces a concrete outcome, not just a feeling.
- “What have you already tried?” — Tells you what’s not working and prevents you from recommending the same thing.
- “What’s the biggest thing getting in the way right now?” — Surfaces the obstacle they’re most aware of.
- “If you could solve just one thing — the thing that unlocks everything else — what would it be?” — Cuts through noise to the real priority.
- “What does success actually look like? How would you know you’d got there?” — Pins down a measurable outcome.
- “What are you most afraid of?” — Use carefully. Powerful when trust is already present in the room.
Best Practices #
- Talk less than 30% of the time. If you’re filling silence, you’re coaching yourself, not the student. Silence after a hard question is productive — let it breathe for three to five seconds before you jump in.
- Take notes visibly. Write things down in front of them. It signals that what they’re saying matters and gives you material to reflect back accurately.
- Reflect before you respond. Before asking your next question, briefly repeat back the key thing you just heard. “So what I’m hearing is… is that right?” This builds trust faster than anything else.
- Name one focus, not five. The instinct to cover everything in the first session kills momentum. One clear focus beats a broad strategy every time at this stage.
- End with a commitment, not a plan. The intake session closes with one small, concrete action — not a roadmap. Momentum matters more than comprehensiveness right now.
- Watch your body language on video. Nodding, leaning slightly forward, and keeping eye contact on a call signals presence. Looking away or typing while they talk does real damage.
Common Mistakes #
- Jumping to advice before you have the full picture. The student mentions they’re struggling with job applications and you immediately suggest a resume fix. You haven’t asked what’s actually going on yet. Advice given too early lands as generic and misses the real problem.
- Asking stacked questions. “What are your goals, and what’s been stopping you, and have you done anything about it yet?” This overwhelms the student and they’ll answer only the easiest part. Ask one question. Wait. Ask the next.
- Accepting vague answers and moving on. If the student says “I just want to feel more confident,” that’s not a goal you can coach toward. Push once, gently: “What would confidence look like in action? What would you be doing differently?”
- Letting the session run over time. Going over 20 minutes in a first session communicates poor boundaries and sets a precedent. Wrap up at the agreed time even if the conversation is rich. You can schedule more.
- Ending without a next step. “Great chat — see you next time” is not a close. Without a specific commitment, the student has no forward motion and your next session starts from the same place.
- Making the intake about the program instead of the person. This is the most common mistake with new coaches. Resist the urge to walk through what Pathfinder Campus offers. The student doesn’t care about the program yet — they care about whether you understand their situation. Earn trust first. Everything else follows.
