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Counselor Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Your job description is the first touchpoint between your company and your new hire. With millions of people searching for jobs on Indeed each month, a great job description can help you attract the most qualified candidates to your open position. To get you started, here are some tips for creating an effective job description.

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Counselor job title

A great job title typically includes a general term, level of experience and any special requirements. The general term will optimize your job title to show up in a general search for jobs of the same nature. The level of experience will help you attract the most qualified applicants by outlining the amount of responsibility and prior knowledge required. And if your position is specialized, consider including the specialization in the job title as well. But avoid using internal titles, abbreviations or acronyms to make sure people understand what your job posting is before clicking.

  • Head Counselor
  • Guidance Counselor
  • Career Counselor
  • Licensed Counselor (LCPC Required)
  • Counselor (Part-Time)
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Counselor Job Description Examples:

Counselor job summary

A great job description starts with a compelling summary of the position and its role within your company. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position. Outline the types of activities and responsibilities required for the job so job seekers can determine if they are qualified, or if the job is a good fit.

Example of a Counselor job summary

Our professional services organization is looking for an experienced Counselor to help our staff build coping mechanisms for stressful situations they encounter on-the-job. You’ll work as part of an in-house team that offers our employees guidance and resources for avoiding burnout and other risks. The ideal candidate will provide personalized plans designed to help our clients meet their short and long-term personal goals. Strong verbal and written communication skills are a must, along with a willingness to coordinate with internal teams and external agencies that are also working with your clients. The Head Counselor meets with your assigned clients on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. The typical work schedule is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the occasional weekend meeting.

Counselor responsibilities and duties

The responsibilities and duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you should outline the functions this position will perform on a regular basis, how the job functions within the organization and who the job reports to.

  • Evaluate clients needs and create a custom treatment plan
  • Teach groups coping mechanisms related to stressful and traumatic they encounter
  • Help individuals with the resources needed to reach personal goals
  • Monitor client progress and adjust their treatment plan as needed
  • Maintain required National Certified Counselor certification for the counseling position
  • Coordinate with other healthcare providers, agencies and community resources in order to create a thorough treatment plan

Counselor qualifications and skills

Next, outline the required and preferred skills for your position. This may include education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills. You may also include soft skills and personality traits that you envision for a successful hire. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many could dissuade qualified candidates from applying. Keep your list of qualifications concise, but provide enough detail with relevant keywords and terms.

  • Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Social Work, or Counseling
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Ability to empathize with clients
  • Ability to leverage internal and external resources as part of a client treatment plan
  • Willingness to work on-call
  • Experience writing assessments and reports to monitor client progress
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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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