Students enrolled in the masters of counseling programs online at Wake Forest University devote a large amount of time, effort, and energy to their program in order to succeed. As you near the end of your online studies it’s time to start thinking about how your masters can translate into a counseling career and giving thought to where exactly you plan on counseling. When studying a masters in counseling, you will want to gain essential career development and education skills such as presentation skills. Presentation skills are needed in most careers, and will be useful whilst studying a masters at university, you can improve your presentation skills by checking out The Development Academys public speaking course. Reward yourself with confidence and building your self esteem by completing this course.
Where Your Passion Lies
Deciding you want to become a counselor is really only half the process when it comes to setting up your career. Thanks to your masters you’ll be able to think about where your passion lies. Do you excel in working with adults? Do you do better with young children, or maybe college students? There are so many different paths you can take, so here we’ll take a brief look at some of the most popular careers.
The Role of a Marriage Counselor
As a marriage counselor you will be working with a married couple to help them determine issues in their marriage, and then help them work through the issues. You may be speaking to the couple together, or seeing the parties individually. It will be up to you to create a place that is neutral and safe for both parties to discuss how they are feeling.
The Role of a School Counselor
As a school counselor you will have an active role in the education of students. More specifically, you will be helping students to excel, be more productive, help them with their social and personal development, help them to adjust, and much more. You will take part in the individual student planning and be working with the students, as well as the staff, and parents. It can be a very busy position where you are working with a large numbers of students at once.
The Role of a College Counselor
There are also independent college counselors. Typically these counselors do much of the same work as a high school counselor would, but they take it a bit further. They are also looking to help students find the best college for them. They take into account the student’s education level, skills, what kind of career the student wants, the school/campus life they are looking for, and so much more.
This means that as a college counselor you need to be well-versed on the various colleges, programs, and campus life. It’s your job to be the expert and help to guide students down the best path for them.
Top Skills and Qualities
No matter which career path you take there are a few skills and qualities that can certainly help you succeed in your chosen career. As a counselor you need to be able to listen, show empathy, give sound advice, and take a neutral stance.
A Rewarding Path
As many counselors who have been in the industry for years will tell you, it can be an extremely challenging job, but it is also one that can be incredibly rewarding as you work to help people at various stages in their life.
Marriage counselor is what I am hoping to find work in after I graduate this year. I have been told by friends already in the field that a good place to start is your local church. I have been volunteering counseling sessions to add to my resume and to hopefully land a paid gig.