How does career coaching in higher education help graduate employees adjust to the workplace?

Purpose Employers increasingly require students to possess competences that go beyond theoretical knowledge and academic expertise, such as lifelong learning skills. To equip students with these competences, higher education institutes have introduced coaching as part of their teaching programs. The present study qualitatively evaluates a career coaching practice in higher education. Design/methodology/approach We conducted semi-structured interviews with graduates who had participated in career coaching activities at a Dutch university ( N = 12). The interviews were conducted between February and May 2022. Atlas.ti version 9 was used to analyse the interviews. Findings Results revealed that graduates believed that career coaching helped them to adjust to the workplace. They indicated that the coaching practice helped them to acquire reflection skills, which was considered the main mechanism for adjustment to the workplace. Research limitations/implications These results add to the transition-related literature by identifying one way that graduates successfully adjust to the workplace. Practical implications The results also provide insight into how higher education can best prepare students for their transition to the workplace. Originality/value As the education-to-work transition does not end upon graduation, this research focusses on graduate employees’ work adjustment as an important phase in the transition process.