Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for career counselors in the United States
Career counselor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected career counselor job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 32,400 new jobs for career counselors are projected over the next decade.
Career counselor salaries have increased 7% for career counselors in the last 5 years.
There are over 10,881 career counselors currently employed in the United States.
There are 42,035 active career counselor job openings in the US.
The average career counselor salary is $44,870.
Are career counselor jobs in demand?
Career counselor job and salary trends over time
Career counselor jobs over time
Career counselor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,881 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 10,700 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 10,833 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 10,411 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 9,903 | 0.00% |
Average career counselor salary over time
Career counselor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,870 | $21.57 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | $44,036 | $21.17 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | $43,473 | $20.90 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $42,778 | $20.57 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $42,122 | $20.25 | +1.7% |
Career counselor jobs by state
Most common states for career counselors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,037 | 15% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 93 | 13% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 73 | 7% |
| 4 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 223 | 6% |
| 5 | Delaware | 961,939 | 62 | 6% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 607 | 5% |
| 7 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 352 | 5% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 289 | 5% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 275 | 5% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 39 | 5% |
| 11 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 34 | 5% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 28 | 5% |
| 13 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 516 | 4% |
| 14 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 406 | 4% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 350 | 4% |
| 16 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 314 | 4% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 309 | 4% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 236 | 4% |
| 19 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 135 | 4% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 24 | 4% |
Most common cities for career counselors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hazelwood | 1 | 4% | $39,474 |
| 2 | Laurel | 1 | 4% | $47,981 |
| 3 | Newark | 1 | 3% | $50,304 |
| 4 | Norristown | 1 | 3% | $48,049 |
| 5 | Russellville | 1 | 3% | $37,458 |
| 6 | Stillwater | 1 | 2% | $31,090 |
| 7 | Saint Paul | 2 | 1% | $44,838 |
| 8 | Allentown | 1 | 1% | $47,575 |
| 9 | Lowell | 1 | 1% | $47,653 |
| 10 | Saint Cloud | 1 | 1% | $44,586 |
| 11 | New York | 2 | 0% | $51,797 |
| 12 | Seattle | 2 | 0% | $40,684 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $48,165 |
| 14 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $48,489 |
| 15 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $43,949 |
| 16 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $52,566 |
Career Counselor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of career counselor experts
Adelphi University
Siena College
Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
Saint Xavier University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Tuskegee University
Louisiana State University at Shreveport
Wisconsin Business School
High Point University
Humboldt State University
Monmouth University
Butler University
Lycoming College
Southern Methodist University
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of California, Los Angeles
Advance CTE
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Katherine Stavrianopoulos Ph.D.: Education and Credentials: Invest in obtaining advanced degrees and relevant certifications that enhance your qualifications and marketability. A master's or doctoral degree in counseling psychology, along with licensure or certification in your jurisdiction, can significantly increase your earning potential. Specialization and Niche Expertise: Develop expertise in specialized areas of counseling psychology that are in demand or command higher fees. Consider focusing on niche populations, such as children and adolescents, trauma survivors, couples therapy, family therapy and acquire specialized training or certifications to differentiate yourself in the market. Clinical Experience and Internships: Gain diverse clinical experience through internships, practicum placements, and supervised training opportunities. Continuing Education and Professional Development: Stay abreast of emerging trends, research findings, and evidence-based practices in counseling psychology through continuing education, workshops, and professional development opportunities.
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC
Assistant Dean & Program Director, Master's programs in General Psychology and Mental Health CounselingAdelphi University
Mental And Social Health Services And Allied Professions
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC: In the next few years, counselors will benefit from developing skills in emerging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and how such technology is being used by clients through various social media applications that might lead to clinical concerns (.e.g., dating, gambling, pornography). Integrating some of these new technologies into therapeutically sound interventions will be one way to address these concerns both in traditional therapy settings, as well as virtually (e.g., avatar therapy).
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC: Given the complexities of the world today, emerging counseling professionals must be flexible in their treatment approach, inclusive in their understanding of diverse cultures and sub-cultures, and mature professionally through humility, self-reflection, and self-care.
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Beverly Thompson: Job skills specific to a particular sector will likely be learned on the job. College can provide general skills useful for entering into professions that will be client facing: critical thinking abilities, assessing legitimate information sources, strategic abilities to address problem solving, and precise organizational abilities. Careers in the future are not anticipated to be long term, and 3-5 years may represent how long one spends in one position. Thus, coming into the position with a clear understanding of the job, keeping track of one's key goal posts, including the time period expectations, are essential. Proper communication skills, for each mode of delivery, are important. The ability to shift with the changing employment landscape and to develop one's own insights into the future trajectories will be key in staying on top of the trends.
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Beverly Thompson: Employment fields are changing rapidly; far faster than college curriculum. Thus, I would encourage current students and recent graduates to use sites such as LinkedIn to reach out to people working in the targeted field one is interested in and speak to them directly, especially people who have entered the field in the last five years. Fields also change quickly, so it is best to speak to those recently entering the field about their experiences and advice. I would also encourage people to get experience in the field as soon as possible, such as pursuing a part time job, in order to begin seeing the reality of the field from the entry level perspective.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Beverly Thompson: One would need to understand the various job opportunities in a particular field, research the pay ranges of each of these different employment sectors, and gain the skills relevant to the highest paid area of the job market. However, when one is starting their career, it is going to take time to begin accumulating promotions, and thus, being the best worker one can be and understanding the dynamics of one's particular company or field will be required research for the employee. Employees are tracked from their very first entry level position, so dedicating research to understanding these different employment trajectories will be central for finding and staying in the trajectory that will lead to the highest salary. Networking is key for learning about opportunities.
Arpita Agnihotri
Associate ProfessorPennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
International Business
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Arpita Agnihotri: PFA the responses. Please let me know if further elaboration is needed on any aspect or there are any questions.
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Arpita Agnihotri: I shall be glad to provide answers to the questions. Kindly send me the questions.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Arpita Agnihotri: This is perfect! Thank you so much. We will be sure to feature your response in the article and send a draft over for your review before we promote it.
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Kristen Toole: Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Personal and professional development are
lifelong processes that are never really finished. So, it is essential to pace yourself and establish a
foundation of healthy practices from the outset. Creating habits and routines in the beginning
with the end in mind can be a good strategy for success and sustainability.
Keep work-life balance and boundaries in mind from the start because breaking bad habits can
be tricky once established. Think about where you ultimately want to be and build toward that
future one step at a time. Also, it is okay if plans change! You never know where open-
mindedness and willingness to learn may take you.
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kristen Toole: This is an exciting time to be a counselor. It is a time for integration and inclusivity. With an
increasing focus on neuroscience and the advent of telehealth, incorporating science and
technology in counseling is increasingly relevant.
The use of technology is on the rise. As more people become familiar with telehealth, counselors
must become comfortable providing virtual care. Telehealth practices are also critical to
expanding our reach and improving the accessibility of our services.
Undeniable links between science and counseling continue to emerge. Findings in neuroscience
are shaping how we understand counseling and informing best practices (Cammisuli &
Castelnuovo, 2023). Furthermore, this supports incorporating knowledge and skills from other
disciplines to broaden the counseling field's horizons.
Mastering essential attending behaviors and the basic listening sequence (Ivey et al., 2018) is not
enough if we cannot successfully and accurately position our clients against a backdrop of broad
and complex contextual factors. Embracing diverse perspectives is crucial to supporting holistic
counseling practices. Integrating new information will be the key to achieving a more complete
and inclusive understanding of our clients and our work as we move forward.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Kristen Toole: Post-pandemic disparities have highlighted the necessity of prioritizing mental health and the
need for more mental health providers (Fink-Samnick, 2023; Health Resources & Services
Administration, 2023). The counseling field is expected to outpace the national average for
occupational growth six-fold over the next ten years (U.S. Department of Labor, 2022). There is
no question that counselors are in demand, but there are still a few strategies for new
professionals to maximize their salary potential.
A growing number of students are entering counseling graduate programs, having completed
undergraduate minors and focus areas in related fields. This is fantastic conceptually and can be
a vital strategy for enhancing their counseling work. Skill building is one way to optimize
success and salary.
Some graduate programs, like Xavier's, offer options for obtaining additional certifications along
the way to a master's degree. In Xavier's counseling program, students can choose courses that
allow them to get certificates in addiction counseling and medical trauma-informed care. For
clinical mental health counselors, this is an excellent way to demonstrate skill mastery, and for
school counselors, it provides a unique opportunity to broaden their scope of practice. Either
way, additional certifications exhibit a commitment that potential employers can appreciate.
Counselors who are well-informed about their market value and earning potential can engage in
informed offer negotiations. Additional skills are one way beginning professionals can increase
their starting salary. However, it is important to remember that total earnings include several
elements, and salary is just one piece of that puzzle.
Counselors are immensely versatile and can find work in various settings, so they need to
understand their options in addition to their earning potential. Benefits, schedule, and location
are other things that can impact the earnings bottom line and are essential to consider. Finally,
counselors must know themselves: personality, interests, work values, and abilities impact job fit
and, ultimately, work satisfaction. These are crucial considerations for mitigating compassion
fatigue (Stamm, 2010), which can limit counselors' longevity.
New professionals must research and reflect as they enter the job market. There are many things
to consider when choosing a job, and it can feel overwhelming. Thankfully, various resources,
such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*Net, Glassdoor, and Monster, offer
indispensable tools and information to job seekers.
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: There is a critical need for mental health care in our world. Many want to help with this need, making counseling a good profession to enter now.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
Tammy Killian
Chair - Department of Theatre and DanceWestern Illinois University
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Tammy Killian: Make sure you sell all of your skill sets when you are interviewing, be a strong communicator, demonstrate your organizational skills, and don't undersell yourself -- have confidence in your abilities and training. Be willing to take on additional duties if needed.
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Tammy Killian: Breathe, be patient and also make as many connections as possible. Create those relationships and continue to network them even after you get a job. You are enough! and you have a lot to offer. Remind folks often of your worth, skills and do so in a kind and generous way.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Tammy Killian: Communication - written as well as spoken. During the pandemic we got very comfortable texting, using text speak, and hiding behind a computer. Speaking with folks in person takes practice. We all need to practice making eye contact, connecting with others via verbal communication, and thinking quickly and then articulating our thoughts in an intelligent way.
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Specialist in School Psychology and Clinical/ Community Mental Health Graduate ProgramsWestern Illinois University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA: - The best I can give to graduates is to focus on taking small steps at first. Often the first year in the field can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The system we work in (the helping profession broadly) often has a lot of challenges, and new professionals want to re-envision a path for changes. This is tangible, but at first, it is important to understand the roles and functions in the workplace before flipping everything upside down. I suggest taking one small change at a time in an area that is important to you and build relationships and trust with your professional colleagues before overloading yourself with the new job and new goals.
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA: - The best I can give to graduates is to focus on taking small steps at first. Often the first year in the field can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The system we work in (the helping profession broadly) often has a lot of challenges, and new professionals want to re-envision a path for changes. This is tangible, but at first, it is important to understand the roles and functions in the workplace before flipping everything upside down. I suggest taking one small change at a time in an area that is important to you and build relationships and trust with your professional colleagues before overloading yourself with the new job and new goals.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA: - I think skills in using and being familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) will be important in our field now and in the upcoming five years. The capabilities of the open AI sources has exponentially grown smarter in just the past year. The tools accessible are revolutionizing the way people write reports, generate recommendations, capture clinical notes, and even summarize and synthesize information. It is technology that we must learn to understand after the point of graduate training where we can apply our professional decision-making skills and theoretical knowledge to the information input/output of this great technology.
Dr. Kai KOONG
Dean, Brimmer College of Business and Information ScienceTuskegee University
Business Administration, Management And Operations
What general advice would you give to a Career Counselor?
Dr. Kai KOONG: First, besides working hard, work smart, in particular.
Second, find a mentor to help you adapt to the new work environment and culture.
Third, ask for help and be a true team player. You will be surprise most colleagues want you to do well.
Fourth, learn as much as you can and keep a balanced profile.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Kai KOONG: First, get an internship (within your targeted industry or segment) to show that you have work experience that are relevant.
Second, make sure you select a career in sectors known for high wages (examples: accounting, artificial intelligence, cyber technologies, finance, healthcare, and supply chain)
Third, acquire initial industry badges and beginner's certifications prior to graduation or immediately thereafter.
What Career Counselor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kai KOONG: First, industry certifications and electronic badges will be useful for your longevity in the workplace.
Second, acquire additional soft skills and know when to put them to work
Third, learn new tools (SAP, and AI and ML in particular) can help you to climb the ladder and avoid being laid off too
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Director, Master of CounselingLouisiana State University at Shreveport
Department Of Psychology
What skills stand out on Career Counselor resumes?
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: Skills that stand out on Counselor resumes include multilingual, critical thinking, conflict resolution, and leadership skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Career Counselors?
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: It is important that counselors are able to effectively take notes and summarize progress, interpret assessments, memorize and recall information, and keep clear yet concise records.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Career Counselors?
Claire Jablonsky: We have a lot of students wanting to head into the creative side of marketing and thus are getting certificates (minors) in digital studies and graphic design. They are working on getting experience with Adobe, Photoshop, Lightroom and other programs that will give them the skills to work in advertising. On the analytical side, they are getting certificates in Google Analytics.
William (Bill) Gentry Ph.D.
Assistant Vice PresidentHigh Point University
Career and Professional Development
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Career Counselors?
William (Bill) Gentry Ph.D.: In my opinion, yes. The pandemic is a once-in-a-century occurrence, I don't see how something like that will not affect philosophy graduates, or all of us. But graduates during this time have shown resiliency and flexibility particularly in the past 12+ months, which are great skills to showcase for employers right now. For the world of work, some organizations will go back to the way it was a couple of years ago (fully in person in offices) and other organizations have seen that people can work from home (or anywhere) and will allow that fully or partially. Organizations may need to shift their mindset on how work gets done to match how graduates now and in the future want to work in order to attract the best talent. To be marketable, graduates should focus not just on their resiliency and flexibility, but also other essential life skills such as the ability to communicate well (in person, phone, video, email, messaging systems), to span boundaries (organizational functions, time zones, cultural), and their problem solving, teamwork, and collaborative skills to be seen as high potential employees for organizations who are working fully in person, fully remote, or a mix of the two.
What's a day at work look like for a Career Counselor?
William (Bill) Gentry Ph.D.: It depends on the organization. With more vaccines coming out and some clamoring to actually get out of their house and get back to being in an office, organizations will see that it is safer for people to come back to work, to fly to meetings, to be like it was a couple of years ago. In fact, some have already gone back to that. Other organizations have seen that people can indeed work from anywhere and production and work output still remain at a high level in quality or quantity, and they may allow virtual work in part or in full. Philosophy graduates need to be prepared for either of these. I and our office of Career and Professional Development encourage graduates to first think about what style they like best. In talking with graduates, I know some of them are burned out with video and miss being around people in person. For those graduates with that type of preference, we encourage them to be strategic and targeted in their approach to looking for jobs, ensuring that working in an office, around people, in person, should be a major priority when searching and applying for jobs. For other graduates who have enjoyed and become skilled at video meetings, like that type of interaction, and feel they want to work from home, they should make sure that any job they are applying to would allow the ability and flexibility to work from anywhere.
What will help Career Counselors increase their earning potential?
William (Bill) Gentry Ph.D.: Philosophy majors are employable in a variety of fields such as education, law, ethics, business, religious-affiliated areas, community services, government, and communications to name a few. A 538 article in 2015 showed that philosophy majors have the fourth-highest median earnings for those with only undergraduate degrees. The Winter 2020 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) salary survey indicated philosophy majors have the highest mean and median salary across all humanities majors and is comparable to other majors as well. To increase their earning potential, we encourage our students to focus on life skills that can separate themselves from all the others who are applying to the job. How can you showcase pertinent life skills that philosophy majors are known for - such as resiliency, the flexibility and capacity for growth, analytical, organizational and research skills like idea generation, problem formulation and problem solving, persuasion, and communication skills - on your brand documents like your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, or in interviews? Specifically, how can you display that you have learned and developed those skills inside and outside the classroom in strong bullet points on your resume or in your cover letter? How can you clearly articulate how you've displayed or enhanced those skills through your classwork, internships, jobs, volunteer work, or other experiences in answering interview questions like "Tell me about yourself" or "What are your strengths?" or "Tell me about a time you had to influence others?" A GPA will likely get your foot in the door, but the ability to demonstrate these important like skills on paper, online, and in person in networking and interviewing will show others that you will be successful not just on day one of the job, but be seen as a high potential in your fist year, five years, and beyond.
Loren Collins
Faculty support Coordinator for Service Learning and Career EducationHumboldt State University
Academic and Career Advising Center
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Career Counselor job market given the pandemic?
Loren Collins: Service sector, hospitality, and travel have been and will continue to be impacted negatively but we will see a huge boom in employment and growth coming at the end of the pandemic. People will trend back into higher education as we begin coming out of the pandemic and when more face-to-face opportunities are available at universities and community colleges. Typically in a recession this happens earlier, but the nature of the pandemic has probably delayed this effect.
As we exit the pandemic, I believe federal and state programs will focus on increasing the number of people entering all sorts of trades, leveraging the end of the pandemic and work programs to close an increasing gap in the number of people in the trades. Meaning a boom in logistics, management, and project management related jobs as well lots of focus on sustainability.
What soft skills should all Career Counselors possess?
Loren Collins: According to NACE - the National Association of Colleges and Employers - the top ten skills employers want from college grads are: 1) Communication 2) Teamwork 3) Make Decisions and Solve Problems 4) Organize and Prioritize 5) Obtain and Process Information 6) Analyze Quantitative Data 7) Technical Skills related to the Position 8) Ability to Work with Computers 9) Creating Written Reports 10) Sell and Influence Others.
We share these and talk a lot with students about them. Including history students and helping them see where they've gotten these skills, like myself, through the major. Only one of the above is specific to any given job! The softer skills include showing up on time, interpersonal communication, and staying committed to a position for a reasonable amount of time!
How have salaries changed over time for Career Counselors?
Loren Collins: In my field - and probably in many fields - I think the big trend has been not as much focus on salary and more the cost of retirement programs and healthcare. Landing a job with good retirement and great healthcare is not always easy and for many worth a trade for a slightly lower salary.
What's a day at work look like for a Career Counselor?
William Hill: That's hard to say because different jobs will have different requirements both now and post-COVID. Some jobs, like sales,will probably revert to more in-person activities, while other may be able to remain mostly or partially remote. Yes, a typical day might mean working from home more often than in the past. Technology, especially AI, will become a large influence. I suspect more professional/office jobs will evolve in to a hybrid model, with some in-person activity blended with remote.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Career Counselor job market given the pandemic?
William Hill: Remote recruiting is here to stay. COVID showed employers that they don't need to come to campus, nor do they have to meet with students in person in order to hire them. It is a substantial time and money saver for businesses. Long after COVID is gone, employers will continue to use Zoom, WebEx and other remote platforms as part of their recruiting strategy. Even job fairs, long a staple of recruiting, are going remote.
What soft skills should all Career Counselors possess?
William Hill: Problem solving skills are essential in the workplace for new grads, especially now. They will find it increasingly difficult to engage more experienced co-workers for helpful problem solving advice in a virtual workspace. You can't just stroll over to someone's office for a quick chat anymore. They will be more often "on their own" when it comes to analyzing a challenge and crafting a solution. Verbal and written communication skills remain important in a workspace dominated by Zoom and email.
Julie Schrader
Sr. Associate DirectorButler University
Career and Professional Success
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Career Counselor job market given the pandemic?
Julie Schrader: I think some trends we will see are more remote work components of internships or jobs given the pandemic. Some organizations will hope to return to fully in-person, but I think there will be more flexibility provided to employees to work remotely or partially remote. I also think some organizations may reduce their physical footprints and move from larger buildings to smaller spaces if they plan to have a mix of in-person and remote workforce, which can impact the culture. We have seen the impact the pandemic has had in some industries such as sports, events, hospitality, and others that rely on in-person functions and components, and I think we'll see fewer, more competitive opportunities in those areas for a while. Networking has always been important but I see a greater emphasis being put on networking and building connections during this time of limited in-person interactions and a more competitive job seeker environment. Finally, I think we have been pleased to see that many organizations have been hiring at the same or similar rate during the pandemic as they were prior to it.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Career Counselors?
Julie Schrader: It would depend on the industry, but I think the following can be impactful and attractive to future employers:
- Language(s): In a global market, speaking another language can provide great value to an organization
- Creative: More for marketing and advertising areas, having courses or certifications in creative and graphic design tools
- Project Management: Many roles across industry sectors involve some aspect of project management
- Design Thinking: Problem-solving and critical thinking skills are highly sought by recruiters
- Salesforce/CRMs: We are seeing more organizations list this as a preferred/desired certification or knowledge area
What's a good job out of college for Career Counselors?
Julie Schrader: I don't define a job as "good" only if it matches a student's area of study. It is great if it does, but to me the definition of "good job" is that the individual is fulfilled and utilizing skills, strengths, and interests and the position matches their value set. A good job can be one that also provides some sense of financial stability. The hope is that during college, students are exploring and discovering various career paths and participating in experiential learning such as internships, co-ops, rotations, case studies, informational interviews, and more. As they learn more about potential career paths, they can start to narrow what they think they would enjoy. I believe that a good job out of college includes an opportunity to be mentored and supported, provides the opportunity for growth and training, and engages the individual's strengths and abilities to make a positive impact. I think of an example of a young graduate with a Finance degree who started in an entry-level finance role. He liked the position and the people, but wasn't sure he wanted to stay with the organization when he was offered a promotion to a sales role. He said he was working in finance because that was his degree and he thought that is what he should be doing. But he longed to be active and outdoors, and reminisced about his time studying abroad in Australia and surfing. He saw a surf camp manager position in the country of Norway and was deciding if he should apply. I encouraged him to go for it. He did. And he got it. He has since returned to the states and in a sales role now, but has no regrets. To me, that was a good job because he followed his heart.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Career Counselor job market given the pandemic?
Career Advisors of the CEAE : Fewer location-based positions due to the increased ability for remote and hybrid work environments.
What skills stand out on Career Counselor resumes?
Career Advisors of the CEAE : Applicants need to connect their skills and experience with what an employer is looking for. With that being said, flexibility, adaptability, and experience with various technology is increasingly important during a pandemic. Quantifiable achievements are always important as well as leadership, presentation/communication skills, and teamwork ability.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Career Counselors to find work opportunities?
Career Advisors of the CEAE : Research what cities are ranked high for a strong and growing job market and don't limit yourself to a specific location. Be creative and don't rely on one or two sources in your search. Use the many online job search and research tools that are available. Networking is one of the most powerful tools to discover advertised - as well as unadvertised - opportunities. Use the capabilities of LinkedIn to connect with alumni and to develop and strengthen your brand! Don't dismiss social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok that are often used for entertainment and other purposes. You may find opportunities here as well.
John Potter
Clinical Associate ProfessorSouthern Methodist University
Department of Dispute Resolution and Counseling
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Career Counselors?
John Potter: Indeed. Current students have experienced multiple ways of learning, which they would not necessarily experience otherwise. And this provides more skills and a broader understanding of the modalities to use to help others in the future.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Career Counselors to find work opportunities?
John Potter: Anywhere. Let me unpack that word, though. Many of our graduates are in the workplace and study dispute resolution and conflict management to expand their opportunities with the skills they learn. So, wherever the work will be is where they will excel, or perhaps move on to another growth opportunity in another workplace elsewhere. Other students seek the degree and the skills that come with it to create a new opportunity in an environment that does not have a core dispute resolution and conflict management already in place. So, anywhere there is conflict, our graduates can excel.
How do you envision technology impacting Career Counselors in the next 5 years?
John Potter: Faster. Disputes and conflicts will escalate more rapidly because of the speed of information. And, information can be gathered more quickly to help disputants engage more constructively and sooner. So, people who work in this field need to think faster and act quickly, and those needs will only increase with time and technology.
Dr. Francine Blume Ph.D.
Assistant Vice PresidentUniversity of Maryland Global Campus
Career Development Office
What skills stand out on Career Counselor resumes?
Dr. Francine Blume Ph.D.: Skills that stand out depend on the field, but you always want to point out your tech skills, language skills and especially "soft" skills, such as communication and initiative.
For tech skills, you can demonstrate proficiency by citing certifications. For language skills, be as accurate as you can regarding proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking. For soft skills, make sure they are evident in the descriptions of your accomplishments and duties. Don't just say, "I have strong problem-solving skills and I learn fast." Anyone can say that, but you should quantify your experience and skills to demonstrate those soft skills.
What skills stand out on Career Counselor resumes?
Hassan Akmal: Transferable skills. Soft and hard. The soft skills are now referred to as "success skills" and include skills such as creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem solving, analytics skills, and people management.
Active learning, agility, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility are additional skills in demand that graduates need to consider.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Career Counselors to find work opportunities?
Hassan Akmal: Due to remote opportunities, the playing field has widely opened up. You can essentially work for almost any organization from where you are at the moment, at least for the time being. This actually increases the number of opportunities for you, as before, if you were out of state, you may have not been considered. That being said, there are still hot spots. They include: Top Metro Areas for Sociologists Source: 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Career Counselors?
Kimberly Green: Career Technical Education (CTE) instructors are the backbone of high-quality and equitable delivery of CTE. Today's educational landscape brings new challenges to the delivery of CTE but in that challenge is the opportunity for CTE instructors to be creative in developing and delivering high-quality CTE programs in virtual or socially distanced environments. Designing with equity and quality in mind, especially for learners who face multiple barriers to engaged virtual learning, is vital. Facing the dual challenge of being a new educator and doing so in a remote and/or hybrid environments, we encourage new instructors to look to their state CTE agencies as their partners and sources of best practices, support and information. For more information on your state CTE agency, visit https://careertech.org/cte-your-state.