School Counselor Job Description

School counselors are responsible for advising students on personal, educational and career related issues as well as coordinating counseling services for students, parents, staff and faculty. School counselors may also be known as guidance counselors, career counselors or education counselors.

 

Although many school counselors work in all of the areas of school counseling, such as education counseling, personal counseling or career counseling, some may focus their work in one of these areas, particularly those that work in post-secondary institutions. For example, school counselors in post-secondary institutions often work exclusively in the offices of career services, mental health services, or financial aid services.

 

One primary goal of a school counselor is to challenge their students in a positive way, in order to help them develop skills, as well as help them identify opportunities to solve personal problems, or pursue their academic or professional interests. They also seek to help students become self-directed in their decision-making, as it relates to personal, academic and career problems and ambitions.

 

School counselors may work in elementary, junior and senior high schools, as well as university and college counselors who work in post-secondary institutions such as universities, colleges and vocational institutes.

 

School counselors may work exclusively in one school, or they may be responsible for providing counseling services in multiple schools. They may work with individual students as well as groups of students. 

 

 

School Counselor Job Duties

• Provide direct counseling services for students who are experiencing educational, social or behavioural problems

• Collect career related information from various resources and make that information available to students

• Provide students with advice concerning what career options they have based on their degree, major or interests

• Collect information concerning scholarships that may be available to students and how to apply for them

• Provide students with information regarding peer tutoring or peer counseling programs

• Refer students to external resources and agencies

• Provide advice for students regarding how they can improve their study habits

• May liaise with employers in order to match them with students

 

 

Experience Needed

In some regions it is a formal requirement to have work experience in fields related to school counseling in order to be employed as a school counselor, whereas in other regions it is not (for example, many regions require school counselors to also be certified teachers).

 

Regardless of whether or not it is a mandated requirement, many employers prefer to hire candidates with experience in related fields, such as education, mental health counseling, human resources or occupational development and consulting. 

 

 

Certification Needed

Canada: In Canada, you do not need certification to become a school counselor, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation. Some schools however, many require that you have either certification as a teacher, or certification as a mental health counselor, in order to be employed with them.

 

United States: In the United States, public school counselors must have a state-issued credential to practice. Depending on the state, this credential may be referred to as certification, a license, or an endorsement. Licensure or certification as a school counselor typically requires a master’s degree in school counseling and completion of an internship or practicum under the supervision of a licensed professional school counselor.

 

 

Helpful Skills and Abilities

In order to become effective in a career as a school counselor, and perform your job duties with competence, you need to posses exceptional communication skills, interpersonal skills, as well as knowledge and skills in counseling.

 

Communication Skills

 

Great listening skills are absolutely essential. You would need to give your full attention to your students in order to understand their personal, educational and career related problems and ambitions. You must also have ability to listen and comprehend with empathy and understanding, without prejudice or judgment.

 

You would also need excellent speaking abilities, as you must be able to express ideas and information in a way that your students would understand easily.

 

 

Counseling Skills

 

You would need to be well versed in various aspects of counseling; you would have to have the ability to challenge students in a positive way, and be able to advise students on personal, educational and career related issues.

 

Being able to effectively coordinate counseling services for students, parents, staff and faculty would also be critical for your job. This would involve maintaining awareness of appropriate school and community resource services to which students can be referred in order to help them develop skills, as well as help them identify opportunities to pursue their interests.

 

You would also need to be able to develop recommendations and interventions for students, teachers, and families. These interventions are critical for helping to reveal student attitudes, feelings, interests, problems, available options and possible consequences to specific decisions, ultimately helping students be self-directed in their decision-making.