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Becoming a School Counselor

Kundan Pandey
One needs skills far beyond the textbook knowledge to help students in making proper career and personal choices. A degree in educational counseling may equip you to take the role of a school counselor, but it is not sufficient. You must have a genuine interest in students and their problems.
The changing fabric of the society has led to the increased unrest among the teenagers and adolescents. Since schools are the second home for children, they play a dominant role in their holistic development.
Besides the immense importance of teaching jobs, a relatively new field of school counseling has evolved in the recent years, and it has gained popularity throughout the United States.
School counselors are an integral part of every school system in the US. Moreover, this field has opened various avenues of career opportunities for graduates in human psychology and other similar subjects. If you are planning to make a career in it, you can expect tremendous opportunities for employment.

The Path to Be a School Counselor

Choosing a career is always a personal decision. If you are willing to enter in this field, you must be sure about your goals. It is possible that your career choice might be inspired by some of your seniors, or may be, you wish to contribute your best towards helping students make correct decisions with respect to their career and life.
Think over the intangibles that have motivated you to consider this as a career option. Once you are sure about yourself, plunge into it with all your efforts. While job satisfaction is crucial, also focus on the salary, as you need to be practical while taking professional decisions. 
This occupation demands passion and commitment towards helping the children by making them comfortable and solving their queries/problems through love, care, and concern.

Educational Requirements

Since school counselors are the professionals who have to deal with youngsters, they must have a deep understanding of the behavioral patterns of children. A Bachelor's degree in Psychology is the most obvious choice for gaining an entry in this field. People who have made careers in child psychology can also work in this profession, as well.

Personality Skills

More than the knowledge of books and science subjects, personality traits like patience and handling children and youngsters are more important. Since children seek the help of counselors to share their dilemmas and any emotional problems, the school counselor must have good emotional intelligence.
He/she must understand that they are dealing with growing teenagers who have to be dealt with care. The child's behavior is a crucial factor that concerns both, the educators and parents. By adopting various methods to improve the child's behavior, these professionals ensure that students learn various aspects of the life of an individual as a student.
Classroom sessions on dealing with stress, developing healthy habits, and handling problems are conducted by these professionals to make the children understand the intricacies of these topics.
The job prospects in this field are bright, and if your interests and aptitude match with the skills required for this work, then you can surely make a successful career in this field.