Counselors work with individuals and groups to effect positive change. In order to land a counseling position, your resume should indicate that you possess the abilities, character traits, and training necessary to succeed. Prepare a summary statement and list skills that reflect the requirements of a counselor position. You should also describe any relevant experience and your educational background.
We provide resume writing best practices and an extensive collection of counselor resume templates. Browse these real-world samples for inspiration to write a better resume or personalize one of these layouts to present yourself as a more polished and professional candidate.
Browse templates and job-specific examples of professional community and public service resumes.
The strongest candidates for counselor positions usually have relevant experience. Describe your background and work history in the same terms an employer uses to describe a counseling role in a job description. The words and phrases you choose may significantly impact your professional prospects. Refer to the experience sections on our counselor resume templates and the following sample duties for this career.
• Counsel clients or patients individually or in groups to promote the agenda of a facility or organization
• Perform objective assessments to determine the best approaches for counseling and providing care and support
• Use verbal communication skills to obtain information and recommend paths of action to achieve positive outcomes
• Act as an advocate for clients who may benefit from other services and public or private programs
• Build relationships with clients or patients, and observe developments over time to adjust or refine methods
There are several steps you can take to write a better resume for a counselor position. Look over our counselor resume templates and follow these tips to improve the quality of your own document. Every section of your resume should respond to the requirements of the counselor position you want.
Don’t submit the same resume to every job opening. Make sure that at least the professional summary and skills section of your resume reflect the priorities of a particular employer.
Hiring managers and recruiters skim each resume for about six seconds before deciding whether an applicant could be right for a job. Show off your qualifications near the top of the page.
Aim to be as specific as you can when describing your skills and past achievements and responsibilities in your work history. Back up your claims with relevant metrics or statistics.