Skip navigation

Educational, Guidance, School, & Vocational Counselors

Also called: Guidance Counselor, Counselor, School Counselor, Academic Advisor

What they do:
Counsel individuals and provide group educational and vocational guidance services.
On the job, you would:
  • Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
  • Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
  • Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their resource needs.

Knowledge

Math and Science
  • psychology
  • sociology and anthropology
Health
  • therapy and counseling
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • looking for ways to help people

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
  • do two or more things at the same time

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Concern for Others
  • Integrity
  • Cooperation
  • Self Control
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Dependability

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Student information systems SIS
Analytical or scientific software
  • ACT WorkKeys
  • Computerized diagnostic programs
Electronic mail software
  • Email software
  • Microsoft Outlook

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Registered Apprenticeship

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$54,130
per year, on average
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

See more details at O*NET OnLine about educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors.