Paid by you, accountable to you. Works on the parts of a switch you control: how your experience reads, which companies and levels to target, interview conversion and the negotiation script. A coach has no hiring authority and should never claim to place you. The value is preparation quality and decision discipline.
Usually unpaid, usually senior in your own domain, and valuable precisely because the relationship is not transactional. A mentor gives you judgement calls, domain context and honest reads on your technical depth. Mentors are inconsistent by nature, cannot be scheduled reliably, and rarely have time for artefact-level work like resume rewrites.
Paid by the employer to fill a specific role. That makes them the best source of live openings and process detail, and a poor source of advice about whether you should take the offer or what your market ceiling is. Use them for access. Do not outsource your negotiation anchor to them.
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Sometimes, within limits. A recruiter benefits from a closed offer and often from a budget the employer sets, so their interest in your maximum number is bounded. Bring your own anchor and market data to that conversation.
Not simultaneously. Most switches need recruiter access and one source of honest feedback. Whether that feedback comes from a mentor or a paid coach depends on whether you have a mentor with the time and the relevant experience.
In Indian usage the terms overlap heavily. Counselling often skews toward students and career direction; coaching for experienced professionals skews toward execution: positioning, interview conversion and negotiation. Ask what the actual deliverables are rather than relying on the label.
Mentors and peers, mostly. Referrals come from people who can vouch for your work. A coach can help you make the ask well and target the right people, but a purchased referral is not a referral and hiring teams treat it accordingly.
