Guidance counselors give guidance to students on both academic and personal matters. They employ a range of abilities and characteristics to ensure they have productive dialogues with their students. You can build trusting relationships with your pupils and leave a lasting impression by being aware of specific traits to cultivate for this job. Therefore, this article provides you with important tips like the skills, salary, and difference(vs) between a guidance counselor and a school counselor.
Guidance Counselor
Guidance counselors are licensed professionals who work in educational settings like schools or universities to help and guide students in their academic and personal choices. They analyze students’ abilities and potential, give private counseling to students, and collaborate with other professionals on issues involving students.
Skills Of a Guidance Counselor
These professionals’ abilities and characteristics—known as guidance counselor skills—help them carry out their duties. These professionals collaborate closely with educators, parents, and kids to recognize and resolve any issues that may be present. Guidance counselors must establish rapport with the people they are helping in order to provide recommendations for their circumstances. In order to recognize an issue and find a potential solution, they also use soft skills like observation and problem-solving.
The skills listed below are beneficial for guidance counselors to possess:
#1. Effective Communication
Guidance counselors can respond effectively to students and others they are helping with effective communication. In order to digest the information being communicated to them and formulate the appropriate questions, this calls for active listening. Guidance counselors provide ideas and assist students in making decisions by using their communication abilities.
#2. Problem-Solving Skill
Counselors for students seek potential solutions to problems by using problem-solving techniques. They determine the best course of action to lessen or avert harm to all parties by exercising critical thought. A guidance counselor at a school might offer student intervention tactics so they can help their friend, for instance, if the kid approaches them about a bully who is picking on their friend.
#3. Friendliness
A guidance counselor can be more approachable to kids, parents, and other teachers by being personable. This makes students feel more at ease and improves their ability to communicate private information. Additionally, it offers them a stress-free setting where they can resolve their issues.
#4. Empathy
Understanding and being able to relate to another person’s experiences is called empathy. Being able to cope with students who may be unhappy or furious due to specific circumstances makes this a valuable quality for a guidance counselor to possess. These professionals can better grasp their students’ needs and decide what would benefit them by being sympathetic. Additionally, it gives the kid a sense of respect and comprehension.
#5. Trustworthiness
Guidance counselors put a strong emphasis on developing trust with their students in order to connect with them. As a result, the kid can feel comfortable talking to the counselor in a secure environment. Unless they are required to submit information to the authorities, these experts keep their conversations with students private.
#6. Observational Skill
The ability to observe helps guidance counselors comprehend the student’s feelings. They pay attention to their client’s tone of speech, facial expressions, and body language while they are in a session. They can do student evaluations and determine whether a student has improved since the prior session with the use of observational skills.
Salary of Guidance Counselor
A guidance counselor’s annual compensation in the United States is roughly $53,034. The institution you work for, your level of experience, the age groups you counsel, and your location can all affect your guidance counselor’s pay. The guidance counseling field is expected to develop by 11% between 2020 and 2030, which is somewhat faster than the 8% average growth rate for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Read Also: CAREER CONSULTANT: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.
How to Become Guidance Counselor
A qualified guidance counselor must meet a number of standards. The following are the steps you can take to become a school guidance counselor:
#1. Complete Earning your Bachelor’s Degree
Obtaining your bachelor’s degree from a recognized college is the first step in becoming a guidance counselor. Consider majoring in behavioral or social science as your undergraduate major if you’re interested in counseling or education. It’s crucial to enroll in courses that will educate you on the principles of mental health, student services, learning theory, and educational institutions. This will assist you in getting the advanced degree you will require for school counseling.
#2. Attain a Master’s Degree
States frequently demand that school counselors hold a master’s degree in school counseling or a comparable field from a recognized program. Human development, counseling theories, counseling ethics, and learning and behavioral disorders are just a few of the subjects you may anticipate learning about. You can get this advanced degree in school counseling in two to three years.
#3. Complete an Internship
You could be required to conduct an internship as part of your graduate studies in order to obtain practical experience in the field of school counseling. The knowledge they learn in the classroom can be applied in practical, supervised hands-on training thanks to this experience for aspiring guidance counselors. You can develop your professional school counseling abilities by addressing the social and emotional needs of students through an internship.
#4. Earn Additional Certifications.
Employers will notice your CV more if you have more certificates. You can decide to get them. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) gives a number of specializations and certificates, such as college admissions specialist, job development expert, mental health specialist, trauma and crisis specialist, and bullying specialist. With these skills, you can be ready for a wide range of school counseling tasks.
Read Also: HOW MUCH DOES A COUNSELOR MAKE: 2023 Salary Guide
Guidance Counselor vs School Counselor
The ASCA and many counselors prefer the term “school counselor” because it better describes the role that counselors play in educational settings. The title “guidance counselor” suggests a limited function in which the counselor simply offers career guidance. However, the current school counselor’s job description is considerably more extensive and all-encompassing than that.
Following are some key distinctions between the guidance counselor and school counselor concepts according to the ASCA:
#1. Guidance Counselor
- Respondent Services for some
- Impact assessed through perceptions and feelings
- auxiliary function in the process of improving schools
- Working by yourself
#2. School Counselor
- The program is proactive and data-driven for everyone Impact reviewed by statistics on performance, attendance, and behavior
- An essential function in the process of improving schools.
- Counselors in schools serve as leaders
- Create, oversee, and assess a comprehensive program for school counseling.
Read Also: HOW TO BECOME MENTAL HEALTH THERAPIST (Complete Guide)
What Are the Duties and Responsibilities of a Counselor?
Provides counseling, therapy, and/or psychotherapy to clients and their families as needed for the job; makes treatment plans, release plans, and follow-up care programs; and, when needed, handles psychological emergencies and provides crisis intervention.
What Is the Role of the School Counselor Today?
Counselors work with students who need help controlling their behavior, keeping up with their schoolwork, or making plans for the future. Counselors also work with school officials, teachers, and parents to make sure that bullying and other illegal activities don’t happen at school.
What Are the Principles of Guidance and Counselling?
Jones says that there are four concepts of guidance: (i) Individual Differences, (ii) Specific Abilities that are not innate, (iii) Needing Help to Solve Individual Problems, and (iv) The Importance of School in Providing Guidance.
How Much Do High School Counselors Make in NYC?
Depending on experience and education level, the salary for School Guidance Counselor ranges from $60,236 to $89,287 per year. The median annual compensation is $72,954.
What Is the Average High School Counselor’s Salary in Texas?
In the state of Texas, a school counselor can expect to make an annual income of $59,000. In Texas, a guidance counselor salary can range from $36,500 to $74,500, depending on criteria such as education level, years of experience, kind of employer, level of responsibility, and even tips and incentives.
Reference
Related Articles
