In the modern times people tend to face a stressful life on a regular basis. Various kinds of emotional problems tend to crop up every other day. Amongst so many events and incidents people feel the definite need for a specialist who can help them handle these issues and lead a more peaceful life. Thus the counselors play an instrumental role in helping people identify their strength and give them valuable insight into the underlying issues of their lives. Frequent counseling helps people gain control of their lives.
Job Profile of a Counselor
If you like to communicate with others and would rather be happy if that precisely is your job, then the task of a counselor is the most suitable for you and will be really gratifying. It is a huge vocational field with diverse options and outstanding job security. The main objective of a counseling career is to give assistance to those people who are down with personal problems. A counselor is often considered to be a problem solver who lends a helping hand in handling issues of anger, nervousness, personal problems and other stress related issues. There are three different types of counselors specializing in different environments. They are rehabilitation counselors, mental health counselors and vocational counselors. Thus counselors are professionals who have specialized training in helping commoners to make an assessment of a particular problematic situation, develop a definite plan of action and finally restore peace of mind.
Requirements
Academic
Several educational institutions offer different types of counseling jobs. The students who consider taking up a job in counseling may seek a Master's Degree in psychology, counseling or social work. Most employers demand a Master's degree along with a passing certificate of a certified exam for a valid license. They are also required to have an excellent knowledge of the particular field of study which might be education or psychology. All counseling jobs require certification from the state in which they work. A diploma or advanced diploma in counseling may also help.
Skill Sets
- Other than the educational qualifications, the counselor should have a sympathetic attitude to make people feel comfortable so that they can forget their sorrows and relax.
- They should be able to detach themselves from the clients.
- They should know how to help people handle the issues by taking it out with them.
The counselors require specific training as their job is to provide assistance to those people who are down with depression and nervousness. Either at the time of their studies or once they are selected for the job, they are given adequate training to interact with the people.
Prior Experience
In most of the cases, the employers will not demand any kind of prior experience from the candidates. But if the job aspirants have any beforehand knowledge of working in educational institutions or government organizations, they should mention it in their resume which will be an added advantage.
Employer Outlook
Career Prospects (globally)
The overall employment outlook for counselors is anticipated to see a positive increase of 21% between 2006 and 2016, which is a lot faster than most of the other standard vocations. Nevertheless, the growth rate is expected to differ by specialty field.
Salary
The three categories of counselors, vocational, career and educational counselors in most of the cases earn a distinctive salary of about $47,530 whereas rehabilitation and behavioral disorder counselors earn a medium salary of about $34,380. There are family and marriage counselors who earn an annual salary of about $43,210. Among these counselors, the psychiatric counselors earn much lower than the others.
Conclusion
In the present times where people face several day to day issues related to official and personal issues, the concept of counseling has come into the limelight with a boosted importance. The future is expected to see a dearth of specially trained and qualified professionals who are able to offer expert services to the global population. It is not at all an easy task to deal with the emotional problems of people and the counselors are paid nicely for their services.
