How to Become a Career Consultant
Determine your ideal environment., Get the required education in your state., Get practical experience in the field., Get the proper certificates., Apply to jobs within the school system.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine your ideal environment.
You can help students with their careers at all levels of education from middle school up to college.Figure out what age group you like to work with the most, then orient your career towards guiding students that age.
You can begin to do this by taking specialized classes in college on the age group you want to counsel.
There are significant differences in your responsibilities and your working environment that depend on the age of the students your advising.
For instance, in middle school or high school, an advisor would also be tasked with helping students with their emotional, educational, and social development, as well as helping them with their vocational choices.If you enjoy helping students get their first job to help save for college, consider going working in middle schools or high schools.
If you like helping young adults find a career path that they may pursue for the rest of their lives, then you should work at a university or college.
If you work in a college, you may also work at a career center.
These centers provide additional resources for students like internship opportunities, job listings, and career guidance after graduation. -
Step 2: Get the required education in your state.
In many states, being a career counselor at a school requires a bachelor's degree and a master's degree or Ph.D. in counseling.All states vary with their education requirements for school counselors.
Check your state's Department of Education website to see the specific requirements for where you plan on living.
For example, in California, you need a bachelor's degree in school counseling and are required to complete a practicum, while in Alabama you're required to get your master's degree.Related coursework in your education would include classes like human growth and development, professional orientation, social and cultural foundations, and career development., Getting experience in the field will provide you will the skills to be an effective school career counselor, and is a requirement in some states to practice.
During a practicum, you'll be working with a certified career counselor who can help train you on the job.
Most schools will have an application process for your practicum.Once you fill out the registration and required documents, a counselor will sit down with you to talk about your options.Check your university's website to determine the proper forms that you'll need.
From there, you will interview and wait for a callback as if you were applying for an actual job.
There are practicum registration and application deadlines that you should be aware of so that you can remain eligible for their program.
If you don't have a practicum to complete, consider getting an internship at a career center or counseling firm to help you gain the experience you need. , Many states require career counselors to get their K-12 certificate to teach to become a school counselor.Other states require you to get a specialized certification in counseling to work in the school system.
There are also national certificates you can get through organizations like the National Career Development Association.
While these certificates aren't required to practice in many states, they will give you additional credentials that can help you get a job.In order to obtain teaching certificates in many states, it's also required that you can pass a criminal background check. , Once you have the required education and experience, you can start to apply to jobs using popular job boards.
Use the search term "career counselor" or "career adviser" and try to find jobs for the age group that you're interested in teaching.
You can also ask people or faculty that you meet in graduate school for any potential openings that they know of.
If you can't find a vacancy near you, it's a possibility you'll have to commute or relocate to find a school that's in need of a counselor.
There are approximately 22,500 jobs as career counselors available in the U.S. -
Step 3: Get practical experience in the field.
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Step 4: Get the proper certificates.
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Step 5: Apply to jobs within the school system.
Detailed Guide
You can help students with their careers at all levels of education from middle school up to college.Figure out what age group you like to work with the most, then orient your career towards guiding students that age.
You can begin to do this by taking specialized classes in college on the age group you want to counsel.
There are significant differences in your responsibilities and your working environment that depend on the age of the students your advising.
For instance, in middle school or high school, an advisor would also be tasked with helping students with their emotional, educational, and social development, as well as helping them with their vocational choices.If you enjoy helping students get their first job to help save for college, consider going working in middle schools or high schools.
If you like helping young adults find a career path that they may pursue for the rest of their lives, then you should work at a university or college.
If you work in a college, you may also work at a career center.
These centers provide additional resources for students like internship opportunities, job listings, and career guidance after graduation.
In many states, being a career counselor at a school requires a bachelor's degree and a master's degree or Ph.D. in counseling.All states vary with their education requirements for school counselors.
Check your state's Department of Education website to see the specific requirements for where you plan on living.
For example, in California, you need a bachelor's degree in school counseling and are required to complete a practicum, while in Alabama you're required to get your master's degree.Related coursework in your education would include classes like human growth and development, professional orientation, social and cultural foundations, and career development., Getting experience in the field will provide you will the skills to be an effective school career counselor, and is a requirement in some states to practice.
During a practicum, you'll be working with a certified career counselor who can help train you on the job.
Most schools will have an application process for your practicum.Once you fill out the registration and required documents, a counselor will sit down with you to talk about your options.Check your university's website to determine the proper forms that you'll need.
From there, you will interview and wait for a callback as if you were applying for an actual job.
There are practicum registration and application deadlines that you should be aware of so that you can remain eligible for their program.
If you don't have a practicum to complete, consider getting an internship at a career center or counseling firm to help you gain the experience you need. , Many states require career counselors to get their K-12 certificate to teach to become a school counselor.Other states require you to get a specialized certification in counseling to work in the school system.
There are also national certificates you can get through organizations like the National Career Development Association.
While these certificates aren't required to practice in many states, they will give you additional credentials that can help you get a job.In order to obtain teaching certificates in many states, it's also required that you can pass a criminal background check. , Once you have the required education and experience, you can start to apply to jobs using popular job boards.
Use the search term "career counselor" or "career adviser" and try to find jobs for the age group that you're interested in teaching.
You can also ask people or faculty that you meet in graduate school for any potential openings that they know of.
If you can't find a vacancy near you, it's a possibility you'll have to commute or relocate to find a school that's in need of a counselor.
There are approximately 22,500 jobs as career counselors available in the U.S.
About the Author
Andrea Coleman
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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