21-1015.00 - Rehabilitation Counselors

Updated 2010

Summary Report for:
21-1015.00 - Rehabilitation Counselors

Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.

Sample of reported job titles: Human Services Care Specialist, Rehabilitation Counselor, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VCR), Case Manager, Program Coordinator, Rehabilitation Specialist, Vocational Counselor, Vocational Services Specialist, Work Counselor, Employment Instructional Associate (EIA)

View report: Summary Details Custom

Tasks

Monitor and record clients' progress to ensure that goals and objectives are met.
Confer with clients to discuss their options and goals so that rehabilitation programs and plans for accessing needed services can be developed.
Prepare and maintain records and case files, including documentation such as clients' personal and eligibility information, services provided, narratives of client contacts, and relevant correspondence.
Arrange for physical, mental, academic, vocational, and other evaluations to obtain information for assessing clients' needs and developing rehabilitation plans.
Analyze information from interviews, educational and medical records, consultation with other professionals, and diagnostic evaluations to assess clients' abilities, needs, and eligibility for services.
Develop rehabilitation plans that fit clients' aptitudes, education levels, physical abilities, and career goals.
Maintain close contact with clients during job training and placements to resolve problems and evaluate placement adequacy.
Develop and maintain relationships with community referral sources, such as schools and community groups.
Locate barriers to client employment, such as inaccessible work sites, inflexible schedules, and transportation problems, and work with clients to develop strategies for overcoming these barriers.
Arrange for on-site job coaching or assistive devices, such as specially equipped wheelchairs, to help clients adapt to work or school environments.

Tools & Technology

Tools used in this occupation:

Calculators or accessories — Calculators

Facsimile machines — Fax Machines

Mobile phones — Smartphones

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers — Personal digital assistants PDA

Voice synthesizers for the physically challenged — Voice output communication aids

Technology used in this occupation:

Calendar and scheduling software — Microsoft Office Outlook (Calendar); Scheduling software; WebIS Pocket Informant

Electronic mail software — Email software; Microsoft Office Outlook (Email); Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile

Internet browser software — Microsoft Internet Explorer *; Microsoft Mobile Explorer MME; Netscape Navigator; Web browser software

Medical software — Chart Links software; Client information database software; Client System

Office suite software — Microsoft Office Mobile; Microsoft Office software

* Software developed by a government agency and/or distributed as freeware or shareware.

Knowledge

Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Therapy and Counseling — Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Personnel and Human Resources — Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Sociology and Anthropology — Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Skills

Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Systems Analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Work Activities

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Work Context

Contact With Others — How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Face-to-Face Discussions — How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Work With Work Group or Team — How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Telephone — How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Deal With External Customers — How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?

Letters and Memos — How often does the job require written letters and memos?

Responsibility for Outcomes and Results — How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?

Physical Proximity — To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?

Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Spend Time Sitting — How much does this job require sitting?

Job Zone

Title	Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Education	Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related Experience	A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Job Zone Examples	Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, sales managers, database administrators, teachers, chemists, environmental engineers, criminal investigators, and special agents.
SVP Range	(7.0 to < 8.0)

Education

Percentage of Respondents	Education Level Required
Not available	High school diploma or equivalent
Not available	Bachelor's degree
Not available	Master's degree

Interests

Interest code: SI

Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Work Styles

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.

Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Wages & Employment Trends

National

Median wages (2011)	$16.22 hourly, $33,740 annual
Employment (2010)	130,000 employees
Projected growth (2010-2020)	Faster than average (20% to 28%)
Projected job openings (2010-2020)	64,400
Top industries (2010)	Health Care and Social Assistance Government

State & National

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 wage data and 2010-2020 employment projections . "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2010-2020). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Sources of Additional Information

Disclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.

Rehabilitation Counselors . Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition.

Summary Report for: 21-1015.00 - Rehabilitation Counselors