Last Updated On 12 Nov, 2018

How to Become a School Guidance Counsellor

About School Guidance Counsellor

A school guidance counsellor provides students assistance in academic, career, higher education advice as well as personal and social guidance. Counsellor also in annual academic planning for each student. They plan an important role in the career of the students as their main aim is to help students succeed and make the right choices in academics and in personal development.

School guidance counsellors work with students of all age group. From kindergarten to the students'of 12th grade to help solve their personal, social and academic problems. Counsellors identify problems, such as alcohol and substance abuse, family violence or other related problems. At times, they also help the students to voice their issues and address their problems. In response, they use a variety of counselling methods and conflict resolution skills to resolve these problems.

During the middle school and high school levels, school guidance counsellors work with students to determine and achieve their post-high school goals.

Eligibility to become School Guidance Counsellor

To become a school guidance counsellor, aspirants must have a master’s degree in the related field. Typically, a candidate must have studied such as child development theory, learning theory, career development, individual counselling and others. Some colleges/schools even ask candidates for some internship experience in the respective field before taking a job as a full-time school guidance counsellor. Some college counsellors who provide psychological assistance and services to the students are required to have a doctorate degree.

  • A candidate must have passed class a bachelor’s degree( candidates with master’s degree are preferred) or an equivalent examination with a minimum of 50% marks. However, the passing marks for different categories and college to college.
  • Few recruiters give preference to candidates with an internship or professional experience.

Types of Job Roles School Guidance Counsellor

The job role of the counsellors varies greatly, depending on their work environment, therefore there is a various number of school guidance counsellor job profiles as per one’s qualification and nature of interest. The following section covers different school counsellor job profiles at the various levels:

Elementary School Counselor- The elementary school counsellors are professional educators who train children from nursery to grade 5. Their job role is to meeting organise different activities for them, communicate regularly with parents or guardians to address their concerns and to create behavioural management plans.

Middle School Counsellor-They work with students from 6th-8th grade and help develop their skills and strategies that are an important part to succeed academically and socially. Middle school is regarded as one of the important time in student’s life because this is the age when they are transitioning from childhood to adolescence. Therefore, it is a middle school counsellor's job to help them understand these changes.

High School Counsellor-High school counsellors advise students in making right career choices along with helping students with personal problems that may interfere with their academics. They also provide information about choosing and applying for colleges and financial aid, provide guidance to help students make decisions about their future, and present career.

Psychological College Counselors- They are regarded as health professionals or as psychologists as well who help students resolve personal problems that may interfere with studies, manage stress and test anxiety. They help them adjust to college life and homesickness and also provide assistance in crisis counselling.

Academic Advisors-Their job role is to help students make the right career choices regarding their higher education. They help student pick right college, meet graduation prerequisites, provide college-related information. The academic counsellors can guide both for national and international colleges/universities. Academic advisors can be found widely in study abroad companies.

Employment Opportunities for School Guidance Counsellors

Some of the popular school guidance counsellor employment opportunities are listed below:

  • Elementary Schools
  • Middle/High Schools
  • Private Schools
  • Government Schools
  • Colleges/Universities
  • Rehabilitation Centres
  • Career Advisor Companies
  • Study Abroad Agencies
  • Healthcare Companies
  • Overseas Education Consultants

Top Recruiting Companies for School Guidance Counsellors

Some of the leading companies that hire school guidance counsellors are as follows:

  • IDP Education
  • Edwise International
  • British Council
  • TheChopras
  • The Princeton Review
  • Global Opportunities Pvt.Ltd

Planning to choose School Guidance Counsellor as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of School Guidance Counsellor

The salary of a school guidance counsellor varies from school to school and relies upon the job responsibility. Counsellors who work in high schools and colleges typically earn more as compared to the ones working with elementary schools and so do counsellors with a master’s degree or higher tend to earn more. The salary range of a school guidance counsellor starts usually starts from Rs.3,00,000 for freshers and can go up to Rs.10,00,000. Some counsellors/academic advisors have their own offices and charge as per students requirement earn way higher.

 

Books & Study Material to Become School Guidance Counsellor

There are no books or study material to become a school guidance counsellor. However, one must have an extensive knowledge of individual counselling, psychology, human behaviour, academic and social aspects. Also, a school guidance counsellor has multiple job roles, therefore, it is very important for them to update their knowledge to guide students. Books regarding human behaviour, different cultures, academic programmes, or any inspirational book can help add knowledge.

 

Pros of becoming a School Guidance Counsellor

  • The job responsibility of a school guidance counsellor ranks high in terms of meaningful work because you’re directly impacting the lives of young people.
  • There’s a lot of variety, and every day is different as you are dealing with current life situations.
  • People who crave high social interaction find being a school counsellor very rewarding.

Cons of becoming a School Guidance Counsellor

  • Competition to find a job is intense, particularly in some school districts. Therefore location plays a significant role in the career of a school counsellor.
  • Public school counsellors may spend a lot of their time on nonessential tasks, such as substitute teaching, bus duty and disciplining students.
  • The turnover rate is high, as 60 per cent of new school counsellors leaves the field within two years.

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FAQs about School Guidance Counsellor

What are the skill sets required to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor?

The candidate must have excellent communication skills, must be well versed with academic trends, should have the abilities to understand human psychology to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor

Is there any specific degree required to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor?

There is no specific degree required to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor. Candidates must have excellent knowledge of subjects and academic trends to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor. However, a B.Ed/ D.EI.Ed/ B.El.Ed holds value.

What are the best books to excel as a School Guidence Counsellor?

There is no specific book to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor. Candidates can learn counselling and psychological techniques through interactions and reading academic books.

What are the advantages of pursuing a career as a School Guidance Counsellors?

A School Guidance Counsellors is directly responsible to impact the lives of young people by guiding them throughout their career. They have good social interactions with young generations. The job role is not very stressful.

What is the salary of a School Guidance Counsellors?

The starting salary of a School Guidance Counsellors is 3.00 Lakhs per Annum

What are the employment opportunities available for a School Guidance Counsellors?

A School Guidance Counsellors can find a a job at Elementary Schools, Private Schools, Government Schools, Rehabilitation Centres, Career Advisor Company and Overseas Education Consultants

What are the job roles of a School Guidance Counsellor?

Elementary School Counselor, High School Counsellor, Middle School Counsellor, Psychological College Counselors, Academic Advisors are some of the job roles counsellors.

What is the eligibility criteria to become a School Guidance Counsellor?

Candidates must hold a master’s degree in a relevant discipline like arts, education etc. to pursue a career as a School Guidance Counsellor.

What is the job responsibility of a School Guidance Counsellor?

A school guidance counsellor is a person who provides assistance to students in their academic, career and higher education. They also help students in building their personal and social guidance. They guide students in their annual academic planning and help them succeed and make the right choices for their career and personal development.

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