Guidance Counselor Job Description

A guidance counselor otherwise known as a school counselor or a student counselor is a person who works in a school or any other educational institution and helps students figure out what they want to do in the future. He basically helps students analyze their strengths and interests and helps them find the career opportunities which may be perfect for them.

A Guidance Counselor's Job Details

A guidance counselor is employed by the schools to work with the students. Often you find students in school who display disturbingly errant behavior, signs of violence, etc. It is one of his duties to help iron out such problems. A guidance counselor also has to ensure that the behavior of all the students is up to the mark and in case any student has any issues relating to problems at school or at home, his responsibilities expect him to fix any such problems.

The second sort of duties include career guidance. The job entails asking the students to perform several assessment tests and aptitude tests and help them determine their strength areas. This is one of the most important parts job, as helping students figure out what they are good at it is a tough, but crucial task. The guidance counselor in this case helps students figure out their areas of interest and what exactly they are good at.

The third basic duty is to help lay out a career path for the students. Based on the likes and dislikes and the strength of a student, he can suggest a career which he feels is good for the student and one in which the student will excel and succeed in. He also helps the students with prescribing college courses, telling them which colleges are the best for which course and acting as an intermediary between the student and his career.

And lastly, addictions have become a pretty big problem for students of late. A lot of students we see, may have problems with drug abuse and alcohol abuse. It is the job of the guidance counselor, to help students get over their addictions and ensure that they stay clean.

Salary Range

Guidance counselors may be employed by the school or may freelance for clients. So based on the type of work they do, they earn either a salary or a fee. The median earnings for guidance counselors is said to be US$ 51,050 annually. The median annual salary in schools ($57,800) is higher than those working with junior colleges ($50,440) and colleges and universities ($43,980). The highest earners in this field are the freelance practitioners, who have a good number of years of experience of working as guidance counselors under their belt.

Now that you know what are the guidance counselor's duties and responsibilities, you will be able to evaluate this career opportunity properly. The job is a pretty rewarding one, as it gives you the opportunity to make a difference to someone's life!