Guidance counselors have to balance multiple roles when relating to students. They are a primary advocate for students, in both the students personal and academic lives.

Preparing students for the future:

It’s important for counselors to be able to make regular assessments of each student’s academic progress, so that they can be familiar with individual needs and goals. Advising a student on which classes to take and how to prepare for their academic and career futures is a cornerstone of a guidance counselor’s function. Giving out assessment tests, consulting with students regarding career goals and reminding them about scholarship and application deadlines are all regular duties for high school guidance counselors in particular.

Helping students with the present:

One of the hardest and most rewarding aspects of being a guidance counselor is helping students today. Whether it’s giving them the confidence they need to sign up for a particular class, or helping them through a troubled period in their lives, guidance counselors are important. Children coping with family issues, such as divorce, or social issues, such as peer pressure or bullying, often turn to their guidance counselor for advice. Even more importantly, a guidance counselor should be attuned enough to their students that they notice shifts in behavior or attitude even before the student brings it up!

But for somebody who is interested in helping others, who can really listen and wants to help guide children and young adults – for that person, a career as a guidance counselor can be a wonderful and rewarding occupation.

According to the fall preview of NACE’s “Job Outlook 2007″ survey, employers cite company growth, retiring employees and high job turnover as key reasons for the rise in hiring.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ “2004-2014 Job Outlook for College Graduates” identifies seven prominent career fields that will have significant openings in the years ahead two of which tie in closely to school guidance counseling.

Field: Counseling and Social Science
Job: Child, Family and School Social Workers
What they do: Provide services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children, both in and out of school, as well as their families.
Median salary in 2005: $35,250
Projected job openings from 2004-2014: 98,000
Why there will be openings: As schools and parents continue to see the benefits of counseling, demand for social workers is expected to grow.

Field: Education
Job: Elementary School Teachers (except special education)
What they do: Teach public or private elementary school students academic and social skills.
Median salary in 2005: $44,040
Projected job openings from 2004-2014: 587,000
Why there will be openings: In addition to the large number of educators that are expected to retire, there is also a trend toward smaller class sizes that will result in employment opportunities for teachers.

To see the other five rapidly growing fields, view the Job Outlook for Class of 2007 article in its original context.

*Statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

The interviewing process is basically the same. A panel of people will be there – typically a teacher, administrator (sometimes BOTH principal & vice), a parent perhaps, and the other counselor(s). They will probably ask:

1. Background and personal philosophy
2. Are you a team player or like to work alone? (stress that team-playing is great – BUT you are capable of making decisions on your own. Counselors have to make decisions based on their own instincts & you may not be able to consult with someone (like in a crisis situation).
3. They will, no doubt, ask about how you would handle a typical school crisis – usually about a student who may be suicidal. Be prepared to follow the appropriate steps.
4. You may be asked about how you will make yourself known at your new position. Stress that you want to be involved, volunteer for dances to get to know kids, walk around during lunchtime, whatever.
5. Parent contact – IMPORTANT. Stress that appointments are a good idea, but that you have an open-door approach ESPECIALLY for parents in a crisis.
6. Public schools are Standards-based. Look up the Standards for Counselors (they exist). Print them up and highlight some important points that you could throw in to impress. This will score you points big time.
7. Be sure to have questions for them. Remember – YOU ARE INTERVIEWING THEM AS WELL!! Bring questions written down and ready. This is always impressive.
Hope this helps

Before you can secure your place in this field, you’ll have to successfully complete a different type of interaction process the job interview. Interviewing skills are important for any career field. However, guidance counselors not only need to excel to land a job, they should also be able to help future job-seekers with interview tips.

Learn from common mistakes made by others instead of committing an interview no-no. After all, as Kiplinger’s writer Peter Phelan states, the last thing you want to do is leave the wrong impression.

In his article, What Not to Say at a Job Interview, Phelan outlines 12 gaffes that could cost you a job.During the dozen years I’ve worked in human resources for global organizations, I’ve seen plenty of job candidates sabotage themselves during interviews. Take, for example, Noah Ferr an amalgam of the less-skilled interviewees I’ve encountered.

Noah made no eye contact. He inquired about being reimbursed for the $12 round-trip expense he incurred to visit our offices. He explained that he’d fallen into his profession (the same profession for which we were interviewing him) and wanted out. He gave rambling five-minute answers to questions that could have been answered with a simple yes or no. And his handshake was akin to a near-death experience.

The takeaway: Don’t be like Noah. And if you want to land the job, here are a dozen more things you should never say (or imply) at a job interview.

1. This suit has been in my family for five generations. Fail to ace attire and grooming and you can sink your chances before you say a word.

2. You think this is disorganized. Wait till you see me on work projects. Neglecting to bring information required on the application, or bringing too few copies of your typo-free resume, looks just plain careless.

3. I’d rather watch The Worst of C-Span than research your company. Bone up on recent new business the company has landed or write-ups about the firm in trade publications.

4. I expect you to provide the exact job I want on my terms now. Say too much about the job you want and you risk eliminating yourself.

5. I could care less but not much less. You don’t want an awkward silence when asked if you have any questions. Speak up.

6. If you hire me, you’d better get your own resume up to date. Come across as overly aggressive and you may scare the interviewer into rejecting you.

7. You might want to have security frisk me before I leave. Sharing confidential information about past or present employers will make the interviewer wonder if you can be trusted.

8. I think you’re not playing with a full deck. If you’re asked the ‘What are your weaknesses?’ question, the interviewer wants a straight answer. Mention one noncritical area you’d like to polish.

9. I’m just going to go ahead and answer the question I wish you’d asked. Failing to answer the question that was actually posed will frustrate the interviewer.

10. I’ll be a huge drain on company morale. A negative attitude regarding your current or past employers or colleagues will make your stock drop.

11. Ask not what I can do for you. What can you do for me? Asking questions about salary or benefits prior to getting a job offer is a major turnoff.

12. Why did we meet? Candidates who leave without underscoring their great interest in being hired are quickly forgotten.

Author Peter Phelan (www.funnyphelan.com) is the humor columnist for Employee Benefit News, a contributor to Wealth Manager and a popular speaker at business conferences.

Responsibilities and Duties- School guidance counselors emphasize preventive and developmental counseling to provide students with life skills and enhance students personal, social, and academic growth. They use dialogue, therapy sessions, tests and other methods to help students individually, in small groups, or in entire classes. They often conduct special services like alcohol and drug prevention classes, teen pregnancy seminars or domestic abuse investigations. School counselors can build special relationships with students who have academic and social development problems or other special needs.
In addition to working with students, school counselors work closely with parents, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers in order to develop and implement comprehensive strategies that can help students be successful in the education system.

Work Conditions and Environment- Because privacy is vital to confidential discussions with students, school counselors usually have private offices. Some school counselors work only during the traditional school year with a few-month summer vacation. Increasing numbers, however, are employed on full-year contracts, especially those working in high schools and secondary schools. Guidance counselors usually work the same hours as teachers, but their jobs often involve more traveling, in order to attend special conferences and conventions.

Career Opportunities- Elementary school counselors interact with children during classroom and play activities and talk with their teachers and parents to evaluate the children’s strengths, troubles, or special needs. They help to make sure that the children’s curriculum addresses both academic and emotional development needs. Elementary school counselors do more social and developmental and less academic counseling than counselors in higher-level institutions do.
Along with the developmental and emotional counseling practiced at all stages, high school guidance counselors focus on college planning and decisions regarding the student’s next step. They help direct students in areas like college options, choosing a major, admission requirements, standardized tests, financial aid and internships. They help students develop job search skills, such as resume writing and interviewing techniques.

College and other secondary school counselors focus on helping students make a smooth transition into the working world. By advising students on which courses they need to graduate, helping with resumes and career searches or referring students to specialists, counselors at this stage are a valuable asset in faring well academically. However, especially at larger schools, college students are less likely to confide in counselors with personal problems unrelated to their education.

Industry Growth Expectations- According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, 248,000 school guidance counselors were employed in 2004. They expect employment in this field to grow faster than average over the next decade.
As student enrollment increases at all school levels, particularly postsecondary schools and colleges, employment for school counselors is expected to increase as well. Additionally, more states are requiring all schools to utilize a counselor. Because of this, job prospects should be greater in rural and inner-city schools, where counselors hadn’t previously been employed.
School counselors can advance their careers in many different ways. For example, they could be promoted to a larger school, become a counseling director or supervisor, become a counselor educator, counseling psychologist, or school administrator. An advanced degree can help a school guidance counselor with career promotion. See below for more education information.

Salary Range- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites the median annual earnings of school counselors as $45,570 in May 2004. A breakdown within the industry lists average salaries for:
Counselors in elementary and secondary schools: $51,160
Counselors in Junior Colleges: $ 45,730
Counselors in Colleges and Universities: $39,110

Education Requirements- Once someone decides to become a school guidance counselor, it is important to determine what the requirements are locally, because training and certification varies depending on location. Some states, for example, require public school counselors to have both counseling and teaching certificates and to have had some teaching experience before becoming a guidance counselor. Good resources for prospective counselors to check include state and local governments, public and private schools, and national certification organizations. Any of these should be able to provide information on which requirements apply.
Some requirements, however, are nationwide. All states require school counselors to hold a state school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate course work. Being a school guidance counselor typically requires completion of a master’s degree, but a bachelor’s degree can qualify a person to be a counseling aide. Colleges and universities usually offer counselor education programs within the departments of education or psychology.

Good luck in pursuit of this rewarding career!

The study estimates the likelihood that a ninth grader will complete high school on time and with a regular diploma. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored the study.

The Detroit, Baltimore and New York City school districts graduated less than 40 percent of their students.

“The study, which uses 2002 and 2003 data, the most current available, finds that public schools graduate 69.6% of an estimated 4 million eligible students each spring, meaning about 1.2 million students likely won’t graduate this year. That means about 7,000 students drop out per school day, Swanson says.

Researcher Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute says Swanson’s figures “seriously understate graduation rates, especially for minorities.” They say that just 52% of blacks graduate, and 57% of Hispanics.

Mishel says by comparing the number of graduates with the number of ninth-graders, Swanson exaggerates the effects of the “ninth-grade bulge,” in which many ninth-graders are held back a year before tackling more advanced work and, often, state-mandated exit exams. Mishel’s most recent research puts the overall U.S. graduation rate at 82%.”

Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems. Their duties depend on the individuals they serve and on the settings in which they work.

Educational, vocational, and school counselors provide individuals and groups with career and educational counseling. In school settings

Most high school counselors assist students with personal, family, educational and mental health problems and career decisions. Serving as leaders, as well as effective team members, high school counselors work with teachers, administrators and other school personnel to make sure every student succeeds. Although a noble profession, becoming a high school counselor is not for the faint at heart.

Today’s high school students face so many things ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to teen sex and teen pregnancy to suicide and violence. Students often have to balance school, jobs and helping to care for younger siblings. They are trying to carve out their individual personalities in the midst of pressure to conform. And as they approach senior year, they must begin to actively think about their futures. All of these pressures can create stressful students and ultimately stressful high school counselors.

If you are interested in becoming a high school counselor, there are a few things you should know. First, most states require high school counselors to have a Master’s degree. All states require high school counselors to hold a State School counseling certification. There is also a need to earn counseling continuing education credits to keep your high school counseling certification. There are many schools that offer guidance counselor majors and many classes to become a guidance counselor. Learn more about becoming a high school counselor.

High school counseling programs are essential for students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals and realize full academic potential. Study to become a high school guidance counselor today!