How To Become a Career Counsellor - A Guide for 2024

Gone are the days when people had limited career options to choose from, and today there is an abundance of possibilities that one can go for. With a rise in technological advancements, and change in the way people work nowadays, you can see a wide range of careers to learn about but, many are confused about which career to choose.

If you have an unfulfilling career and wish to switch careers but don't know where to start, then it's a sign to contact a Career Counsellor.

Did you know India has less than 5000 professionally trained career counsellors for a youth population of 400 million?

This is an ideal time for anyone interested in becoming an independent career counsellor or starting a career counselling business.

In this blog post:

• How to become a career counsellor?
• What is the role of a career counsellor?
• Skills qnd qualifications for a career counsellor
• What are the different types of career counsellors?
• Why is career counselling important?
• How to become a certified career counsellor?
• Tips to work as a career counsellor
• Salary for career counsellor

How to Become a Career Counsellor?

A common notion is that an individual from any stream can become a career counsellor and it dilutes the importance of professional career counsellors. But there's also a fact that many individuals miss career opportunities because there's insufficient counselling while they are in school or college. If you are someone with counselling aptitude who would like to help people make the right career choices, then career counselling is a bright field for you.

The increasing awareness about the profession comes with rising demand for professional career counsellors in India. Big educational institutes are willing to create separate counselling units in schools and colleges so students can take a linear approach toward their careers.

At present, 93% of schools in India do not have counsellors with formal training in career counselling to help students make the right choice about their careers.

To become a career counsellor, you can take up a professional career counselling course where the program will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed for the job and provide you with the accreditation of a trained counsellor.

What is the Role of a Career Counsellor?

Career counsellors help people identify their interests and take necessary steps toward their career goals. They often work with people individually and utilize their coaching skills to assist clients realize their aspirations. They can usually expect to have the following job duties:

• Administer personality and career tests to assess a client's aptitudes and career interests.
• Educate the clients on career possibilities available as per their interests, skills, and strengths so actionable career goals can be set.
• Assist the clients in finding jobs, internships, or volunteer opportunities to align with their goals.
• Educate the clients on career skills like searching for jobs, writing a resume, or interview preparation tips.
• Educate them through presentations or workshops on career development topics
• Connect your clients with reliable resources and coordinate career events

Skills and Qualifications for a Career Counsellor

A Career Counsellor often possesses specific skills and qualifications that make them stand out in the field. Some important skills and qualifications are:

Knowledge of assessment tools: Career counsellors use various psychometric, behavioural, and cognitive tests to evaluate their clients and identify the best career paths accordingly. These tests are essential as they help to identify a client's aptitude, skills, and interests. So, proficiency in these tools can help you become a highly effective career counsellor.

Interpersonal skills: Career counselling is known for direct interactions that have a wide array of individuals having different attitudes, perspectives, philosophies, and backgrounds. Strong interpersonal skills can help you build trust with the clients and these skills include being a good listener, empathy, and managing relations positively.

Communication skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills are a must for career counsellors because they have to convey information. With effective communication, you can clearly understand your clients' needs, offer guidance, and facilitate constructive conversations regarding their future goals and aspirations.

Problem-solving skills: Choosing the right career is a big issue that can be seen among youths today and communicating effectively for career-related challenges can demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Honing these skills will allow you to analyse career situations and come up with practical solutions in the shortest possible time.

Empathic skills: Empathic skills can help you connect with clients with career-related stress on a personal level. The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is a valuable skill as it can help build trust and rapport with clients.

What Are the Different Types of Career Counsellors?

Career Counselling is a broad field. The counsellors have the following fields

• Mental health
• Health advisors
• Financial advisors

Some institutes offer student counselling sessions to understand them better and help them take the right career approach. Many institutes in India do not have career counsellors or teachers who are trained in this area but today this is changing rapidly, as these institutes are creating career counselling units and hiring counsellors from outside companies.

The domain includes career counsellors for schools, colleges, institutions, HR, industry and vertical-specific careers, and independent career advisors.

Why Is Career Counselling Important?

With a wide range of career options available today, career counselling has become essential these days. Counsellors can use their knowledge and skills to guide the candidates to choose the right career path for themselves and even enhance their skills for the better. The job industry is highly dynamic and the industry demands people who can embrace change. A career counsellor maps the changes and uses the insight for learning, which makes counselling sessions important for individuals as teaching. By participating in the process, they can learn about:

• Courses being offered globally after 10+2
• Eligibility criteria and admission process
• Popular entrance exams and aptitude tests
• Placement and job prospects in colleges
• Vocational and skilling courses after 10+2
• Entrepreneurship opportunities after 10+2

Institutes can make all inputs available during career counselling workshops and can broadcast the important deadlines and messages on bulletin boards and online boards for better reach. Keep a continuous tab on the industry and offer application guidance services to students so that they do not miss any vital opportunities.

How to Become A Certified Career Counsellor

Many hiring managers need career counsellors to have a master's degree or other graduate-level degrees to function in career counselling roles. Here's an outline for how to pursue this career path:

Earn your bachelor's degree: You must have your bachelor's degree in a human services-related field, like social or behavioural science, psychology, or sociology. A four-year degree program prepares you for working as a career counsellor focusing on topics like human development, counselling methodologies, and other psychological and sociological studies.

Pursue your graduate degree: Most employers look for career counsellors with a master's degree in counselling service. A graduate degree program for career counselling will lay out the foundation of the prerequisites you cover in your four-year program, which includes career counselling theories and practices, assessment counselling, and research practices in professional counselling.

Gain work experience: Most educational programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels may need you to contribute in an internship. These types of real-world work experiences can help you build valuable skills you'll need in your career. Also, completing internships while being in your educational training will help you gain relevant work experience, which you'll need when entering your career as an entry-level counsellor.

Obtain your certification: Once you graduate with a master's degree, you'll need to get your professional certification. The National Career Development Association (NCDA) administers the National Counsellor Examination (NCE) that grants the Certified Career Counsellor (CCC) credential. You may also need to acquire state licensure to practice as a career counsellor.

Keep your license current: Renew your professional counselling certification in every two to three years, or however often your state requires it. This also implies that you need to continue education credits through development workshops, seminars, and even research. The NCDA also needs continuing education to maintain your national career counselling certification, which focuses on development in the field of career services.

Tips To Work As A Career Counsellor

Work on strengthening your soft skills to apply specific strategies that support others in goal achievement and development. There are many responsibilities you'll take on as a career counsellor and it is essential to follow the tips for additional insights:

• Work on developing your interpersonal and communication skills as these are crucial in a counselling role. You'll be working with individuals to help them set goals, achieve career objectives, and even resolve conflicts.
• You will also learn how to apply specific techniques because career counsellors must rely on different methods and techniques to help them gain an understanding of their clients' needs. For example, communication techniques like open-ended questioning and active listening are essential when counselling clients. Assessment and evaluation techniques are a part of offering appropriate resources, tools, and advice to your clients.
• Take the initiative with your personal development and if you feel you need to enhance your skills, then apply for professional development strategies to be more successful. This path not only sets you to improve yourself but you're modelling this process for your clients, which can be influential for them.
• Stay up-to-date with the job market as it'll ensure you have current knowledge of various industries and career opportunities to match your clients' skills and abilities. Additionally, staying updated will allow you to offer your clients the updated resources and tools for their job searches.

Salary for Career Counsellor

As per the data from Indeed for the year 2023, the average salary of a career counsellor in India is ₹3,07,791 per year. Various factors impact the salary of a career counsellor, like experience, education, and location. As per resources, the highest-paying cities for career counsellors are Chandigarh (₹3,97,350), Hyderabad (₹3,85,279), and Bengaluru (₹3,66,591).

In terms of the job outlook, India has the largest youth population which holds a great chance for counsellors here. Even though the labour market is surplus, more than 50 per cent of Indian employers still struggle to fill vacancies due to an increasing skill gap. Although things have changed since COVID-19 and new opportunities have opened up, career counsellors can play a decisive role in solving this issue.

The Bottom Line…

With the dynamic industry, there is still a large population of youths who are struggling to choose a career for themselves. To change this, they can connect with career counsellors as they can help people make decisions about their careers. Their job is to help people better understand their skills, interests, and goals, they don't tell people what job to choose. If you are a student or a working professional looking for a change then consult professionals so you can understand more about yourself and choose a thriving career for yourself.