A human career coach costs $100-150 per session. Most people can't afford that. So they try ChatGPT instead, get a list of generic advice, and conclude that AI coaching doesn't work.
It does work. But not the way most people try it.
According to research from The Conference Board, AI can deliver 90% of day-to-day career coaching functions — with 89% of users saying their session produced specific, useful next steps. The catch: most apps calling themselves "AI career coaches" aren't doing real coaching. They're chatbots with a career-advice prompt.
Here's what a real AI career coaching app actually does, and how to separate the real ones from the fakes.
What a Real AI Career Coaching Session Looks Like
A good AI career coaching app doesn't just answer your questions. It runs a process. Here's what that looks like in practice:
First, it asks before it advises. A real coaching app starts by understanding your situation — your current role, where you want to go, what you've already tried, and what's blocking you. If an app jumps straight to advice without context, it's a chatbot.
Then, it builds a structured path. Career growth isn't one conversation. It's a sequence of decisions spread over weeks or months. A real coaching app breaks your goal into phases, gives you specific actions for this week, and tracks whether you followed through.
Finally, it remembers. This is the biggest difference. According to CareerVillage's analysis, 96% of users felt that AI coaching responses were tailored to their goals when the system retained context. Generic chatbots start fresh every time. A coaching app that remembers your history gets smarter with every session.
Three Things AI Career Coaching Apps Do Well
1. They're available when you need them. Career decisions don't happen on a schedule. They happen at 11 PM when you're stressing about a job offer, or during lunch when your manager just blindsided you. An AI coaching app is there in those moments. A human coach needs a scheduled appointment.
2. They remove the cost barrier. Human career coaching runs $100-150/session, or $200-400/month for ongoing mentorship through platforms like MentorCruise. Most AI coaching apps are free or under $20/month. That opens career guidance to the 63% of professionals who don't have access to a mentor, according to MentorcliQ's research.
3. They eliminate bias in the conversation. An AI coach won't judge you for wanting to quit a "good" job, won't project their own career regrets onto your situation, and won't soften feedback to avoid awkwardness. 90% of users find AI coaching comfortable to use specifically because of this dynamic.
The One Thing AI Coaching Still Can't Do
Emotional depth. When you're dealing with a toxic boss, navigating office politics, or processing the grief of a failed venture — AI can listen, but it can't truly empathize. It won't pick up on the crack in your voice or the thing you're not saying.
This matters. The Conference Board's same research found that human expertise remains critical for "emotionally charged, political, or values-based discussions."
The honest answer: use AI coaching for the 90% (goal-setting, action planning, skill development, accountability) and find a human for the 10% (deep emotional support, navigating politics, major life transitions).
How to Spot a Real AI Career Coaching App vs a Chatbot
Not all apps with "AI coach" in the name are doing real coaching. Here's a quick checklist:
- Does it remember your previous sessions? If every conversation starts from zero, it's a chatbot.
- Does it give you structured action steps? Real coaching produces weekly tasks, not generic tips.
- Is the AI trained on specific expertise? A coaching app trained on actual frameworks and methodologies beats one trained on the entire internet.
- Does it follow up? A real coach checks if you did the thing you said you'd do. A chatbot waits for your next question.
How Get Mentors Approaches AI Career Coaching
We built Get Mentors around a principle most coaching apps ignore: you don't need more advice. You need the right voice saying the right thing at the right time, followed by a clear next step.
The app lets you build a Mentor Board of five AI mentors — each trained on a real person's frameworks, books, and speeches. You can go deep with one mentor in Coaching Mode, or get multiple perspectives through a Roundtable discussion. Every session ends with an action step that shows up in your Today tab.
It's not a replacement for human coaching. It's the daily practice that makes those expensive human sessions 10x more productive.
400+ mentors. Free to explore. Available on iOS.
FAQ
Q: Can an AI career coaching app really replace a human career coach? A: For 90% of daily coaching needs (goal-setting, planning, accountability, skill building), yes. For emotionally complex situations or navigating workplace politics, human coaching still has the edge. The best approach uses both.
Q: How much does an AI career coaching app cost? A: Most range from free to $20/month. Compare that to human coaching at $100-150/session or $200-400/month. Apps like Get Mentors offer free exploration with a subscription for full access.
Q: Are AI career coaching apps just chatbots? A: Many are. The real ones remember your context between sessions, provide structured action plans (not just tips), follow up on your commitments, and are trained on specific coaching methodologies rather than generic internet content.
Q: What should I look for in an AI career coaching app? A: Four things: session memory, structured journeys (not one-off answers), expertise-specific AI (not generic), and accountability features that track whether you follow through.
