Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors

Also called: Academic Advisor, Academic Counselor, Admissions Counselor, Adult School Counselor, Advisor

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Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.

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.
Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.
Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence.
Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.
Instruct individuals in career development techniques, such as job search and application strategies, resume writing, and interview skills.
Plan and promote career and employment-related programs and events, such as career planning presentations, work experience programs, job fairs, and career workshops.
Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences, such as starting college.
Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics, using tests, records, interviews, or professional sources.
Collaborate with teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs and in the preparation of master schedules for curriculum offerings.
Observe students during classroom and play activities to evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Establish and enforce administration policies and rules governing student behavior.
Address community groups, faculty, and staff members to explain available counseling services.
Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
Attend meetings, educational conferences, and training workshops and serve on committees.
Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to assist counselees in determining and carrying out vocational and educational objectives.
Plan, direct, and participate in recruitment and enrollment activities.
Supervise, train, and direct professional staff and interns.
Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements and write letters of recommendation.
Provide students with information on topics, such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.
Assess needs for assistance, such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services.
Establish and supervise peer counseling and peer tutoring programs.
Provide information for teachers and staff members involved in helping students or graduates identify and pursue employment opportunities.
Establish contacts with employers to create internship and employment opportunities for students.
Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
Refer qualified counselees to employers or employment services for job placement.
Interview clients to obtain information about employment history, educational background, and career goals, and to identify barriers to employment.
Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.

Work Context

Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
Face-to-Face Discussions — 100% responded "Every day".
Contact With Others — 95% responded "Constant contact with others".
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 93% responded "Every day".
Work With Work Group or Team — 85% responded "Extremely important".
Telephone — 80% responded "Every day".
Frequency of Conflict Situations — 55% responded "Every day".

Work Activities

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

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

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

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

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

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

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

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

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

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Detailed Work Activities

Confer with family members to discuss client treatment plans or progress.
Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
Evaluate characteristics of individuals to determine needs or eligibility.
Evaluate potential problems in home or work environments of clients.
Counsel clients regarding interpersonal issues.
Counsel clients regarding educational or vocational issues.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking

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

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Instructing

Teaching others how to do something.

Persuasion

Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Negotiation

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Monitoring

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

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Time Management

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Systems Analysis

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

Systems Evaluation

Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Oral Expression

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

Oral Comprehension

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

Written Comprehension

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

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.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Web page creation and editing software

Facebook
LinkedIn
Orbius
Web page design and editing software

Word processing software

Microsoft Word
Google Docs
Word processing software

Data base user interface and query software

Data entry software
Microsoft Access
Student information systems SIS
Social Solutions ETO
O*NET OnLine
Naviance Succeed
Zoomerang
Kuder Navigator
Coin Educational Products Climb K-5 Online
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC WONDER
Career Zone
Career management systems CMS
Career decision-making programs
Blackboard software
Coin Educational Products Coin Jr.
College Central Network Career Services Central
Career Cruising
FileMaker Pro
Database application software
Computer-assisted career guidance software
ACT Discover

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