A career counselor is a professional who helps people choose a career and achieve their vocational goals.
Counselors help clients enter the workforce, change careers, and look for employment opportunities.
In most cases, career counselors have a minimum of a master’s degree in counseling.
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What Is a Career Counselor?
Career counselors work with people with questions about careers and educational paths.
Choosing a career can be a real challenge.
How do you know what punch in of jobs are right for you?
Is a particular profession suited to your personality, interests, and goals?
Career Counselor Job Duties
Career counselors perform a range of duties.
They may do this by performing assessments, administering personality tests, interviewing clients, and using interest inventories.
People who enjoy helping others, for example, might excel in this profession.
Being able to analyze the results of these assessments is an essential part of being a successful career counselor.
Counselors should be understanding andcompassionateas they help people develop their career goals.
Interviewing people about their preferences, needs, and experiences is an important part of career counseling.
Having good communication skills is important.
Where Do Career Counselors Work?
Career counselors may work in a variety of areas.
Usually, the client population that they work with will varies based on the setting.
Some counselors work in high schools and help students make college and career choices.
Most employers prefer counselors to hold at least amaster’s degree in counselingspecializing in career development.
Those who want to work in private practice usually need to be licensed.
Those interested in working in elementary or secondary school parameters generally need a master’s degree in school counseling.
Having a background in psychology can be helpful for people who are interested in this field.
There may be some overlap between these two, but the focus tends to be different.
Life coaches only need a few months of study togain certificationfrom the International Coach Federation.
However, some life coaches may have more than this entry-level training.
Life coaches and career counselors differ in terms of the scope of their duties and their training.
Most of this growth will be fueled by the increase in students enrolled in colleges and universities.
During economic challenges, a slow job market might also spur the demand for career counseling services.
Many workers have voluntarily left their jobs, a phenomenon caused, in part, by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other factors, including wage stagnation and job dissatisfaction, have also played a part in fueling this trend.
Some may seek guidance from a career counselor to re-enter the workforce.
Regardless of the causes, such trends may help drive a need for the services of trained career counselors.
Takeaway
Career counselors can help people make decisions about their careers.
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.School and career counselors.Occupational Outlook Handbook.
American School Counselor Association.State certification requirements.
2020;15(4):973-977. doi:10.1177/1745691620904962
National Career Development Association.Introduction to credentialing.
