educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors
Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors
Description
Counsel individuals and provide group educational and vocational guidance services.
Tasks
Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
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.
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.
Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics using tests, records, interviews, or professional sources.
Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.
Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, 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.
Collaborate with teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs and in the preparation of master schedules for curriculum offerings.
Assess needs for assistance such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services.
Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
Observe students during classroom and play activities to evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences such as starting college.
Attend meetings, educational conferences, and training workshops and serve on committees.
Plan and promote career and employment-related programs and events, such as career planning presentations, work-experience programs, job fairs, and career workshops.
Establish and enforce administration policies and rules governing student behavior.
Address community groups, faculty, and staff members to explain available counseling services.
Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements and write letters of recommendation.
Provide students with information on such topics as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to assist counselees in determining and carrying out vocational and educational objectives.
Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.
Interview clients to obtain information about employment history, educational background, and career goals, and to identify barriers to employment.
Refer qualified counselees to employers or employment services for job placement.
Establish contacts with employers to create internship and employment opportunities for students.
Plan, direct, and participate in recruitment and enrollment activities.
Supervise, train, and direct professional staff and interns.
Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
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.
Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
Knowledge
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.
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.
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.
Clerical
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Sociology and Anthropology
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Skills
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.
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.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Abilities
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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.
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
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.
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Work Activities
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others
Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Letters and Memos
How often does the job require written letters and memos?
Frequency of Conflict Situations
How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Interests
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
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.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Work Style
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Self Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Social Orientation
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
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.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
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.