Career Counselor Responsibilities

A career counselor is an important figure in the job force, especially in educational institutions. This individual plays a prime role in helping individuals put their talents to good use in a job position and help them in their journey applying to colleges. There are many responsibilities and duties a career counselor carries out on a daily basis.

What Is A Career Counselor?

A career counselor is an individual who counsels others in finding jobs or vocational courses to help them obtain a job. This individual is one who usually works in schools and holds sessions with students to help them with their career choices.

General Responsibilities of a Career Counselor

The career counselor has certain jobs and responsibilities which go along with their position. Along with providing counseling for students, the career counselor must also meet with outside parties such as business owners, parents, teachers and school administrators to adequately fulfill their role as career counselor. The career counselor will keep detailed files on each student that they meet with and review the files during follow-up sessions with the students.

Specific Duties of a Career Counselor

There are many specific duties a career counselor must fulfill on a daily basis. The first is meeting with students regarding educational and vocational matters. The career counselor will determine what the student’s desires are with regard to what they wish to pursue once they graduate from their current educational establishment. This will help the career counselor formulate a good plan with regard to looking at schools or job opportunities with the student.

The career counselor must also make various items available to the student in order to help them formulate good decisions with regard to their future steps relating to education or vocation. These items may include pamphlets, school applications, job applications, school catalogs and other various documents. These will give the student something to peruse and may in fact help them in the decision-making process.

One who is a career counselor must also have contact with outside individuals who may help the student out in their pursuits. Some of these individuals include business owners, college administrators and parents of the students. By maintaining contact with these individuals, the counselor will be able to present the student with the best options possible.

A career counselor should also be able to answer questions relating to financial aid. Due to the fact that many students do not have the money to attend colleges or graduate schools, they need to be aware of their financial aid options which make pursuing these educational goals possible. The career counselor should know all about financial aid issues and know the procedure for applying for financial aid so they can adequately explain it to the student. The career counselor will frequently need to make contact with financial aid officers from other schools to see if they can provide documents and information to the student regarding their financial aid policies.

A career counselor should also maintain contact with teachers and administrators at their specific school for a few different reasons. One who is a career counselor needs to be in touch with teachers at their school to find out if the student is suited for a particular career goal or college major. The career counselor should consult with the school administrators to inquire about getting programs into the school which will aid in the future careers and goals of the students.

The career counselor in some schools may also take on the role of guidance counselor as well. They will provide crisis intervention for the students, sponsor after school activities and provide counseling services for a variety of needs. The career counselor may be the support system for the students in many school districts.

Frequently a career counselor will also be responsible for providing educational group sessions for students where they can learn about their career choices on a variety of different levels. This large-scale group discussion will focus on future education as well as vocational options once the students graduate.

Beneficial Traits for a Career Counselor to Possess

One who is a career counselor should possess certain traits which will enable them to complete their job responsibilities and duties to the best extent possible. The first trait a career counselor should possess is the ability to research. Since the career counselor will be responsible for providing students with potential job fields and educational pursuits, it is important that they know what the job market is like as well as information about colleges. One needs to have good research skills to excel as a career counselor.

Career counselors should also be sympathetic to the students who come to them. Since many students will be coming to the career counselor for help and may have some issues to discuss, the career counselor must be able to lend a sympathetic ear to the students.

The career counselor should also possess the positive trait of dedication. If a career counselor is dedicated to their job, they are more likely to pursue all possible avenues with regard to education and career choices for the students. A career counselor who is dedicated is one who will provide a wide range of post-graduation options for the students to reflect upon.

Career counselors should also be good listeners. Since they will need to act upon the statements and desires of the student, they need to listen clearly to know exactly what the student is looking for with regard to educational and/or vocational opportunities. A career counselor who is a good listener will make the best career counselor possible.

Summary

It is important to reiterate the crucial role that a career counselor plays in the life of a student. Not only does the career counselor present job opportunities and educational options to the student but provides moral support for the individual as well. The career counselor lets the student know that there are financial aid possibilities available should the student wish to attend college but not know how to pay for it. By guiding the student in his/her post-graduation endeavors, the career counselor is doing their part to help ensure that the student follows through with their dreams. A career counselor must do their best to help the student know what they want to do after graduation and provide them with the necessary information to follow through with that knowledge.