School Counselor Resume Examples

Students often need support in getting through their school years, which they may find overwhelming and challenging. School counselors provide valuable support and guidance to those facing any academic or personal difficulties.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 333,500 school and career counselor jobs in the United States. Become a part of this meaningful profession by using our school counselor resume example, crafted by a certified resume writers, as a writing guide. Our examples help you effectively highlight your skills and qualifications to boost your chances of being noticed by top recruiters.

OUR RECOMMENDED EXAMPLE

School Counselor Resume Example Chronological Bold 1 Customize This Resume

Resume Success Stories

What is a School Counselor?

School counselors interact with students of all grades, from elementary school to college, aiding in helping maintain healthy school performance and development. They assist students with academic, social or personal difficulties by providing counseling and academic coaching. They conduct regular career and student-welfare- oriented workshops for students, teachers and parents.

School counselors help their student body deal with issues such as bullying, substance abuse, behavioral problems, parental neglect, poor academic performance, and mental health. They may also report and refer students for advanced counseling outside the school, if needed. To qualify for this role, school counselors typically need a master’s degree in counseling or a related field.

What Makes This a Great
School Counselor Resume Example?

Our school counselor resume example was written by our team of certified resume writers who know what recruiters look for in top candidates. You can boost your chances of landing an interview by using our resume examples as guides to creating your own strong resume.

Here are some ways our examples can help you make a great impression on recruiters:

  • Professionally curated content: Our school counselor resume example uses industry-relevant phrases such as “certified in special needs counseling” and “mediation and crisis intervention expertise” that will pique a hiring manager’s interest. You can also use our Resume Builder, which offers pre-written content suggestions, for every section of your resume.
  • Using the right format: Selecting a resume format that best highlights your experience is critical for your resume’s success. The resume example shown above uses a chronological format which is suitable for highly experienced candidates. Based on your work experience, you can also create a resume that uses a functional or combination format in our builder.
  • Industry-appropriate template:  Your resume template should be appropriate for the job to which you’re applying. Some school counselors can afford to get creative and use something colorful yet subtle, like the template used in the example above, or they may need to opt for a more conservative style. Whatever the situation calls for, our builder offers a variety of template options.

3 School Counselor Professional Summary Examples

Your professional summary speaks to your experience and expertise. Knowing how to succinctly present all your relevant details in a summary is an art, which you can learn by referring to our resume examples and borrowing our builder’s suggestions.

Here are three more example summaries you might consider in your resume-writing:

  1. NBCC-certified counselor with over 15 years of experience. Certified in behavioral psychology and have designed district-wide recognized programs to help students overcome issues like social media addiction, cyber-bullying and substance abuse. Track record of implementing holistic policies that improve the overall development of students and increase graduation rates by 20%. Possess strong communication skills and have an engaging attitude with students.
  2. Dedicated school counselor with over five years of experience. Experienced in interacting with children of all age groups. Skilled in group counseling theories and curriculum planning. Strong conflict-resolution skills with the ability to maintain a pleasant demeanor while interacting with dozens of students daily.
  3. Licensed school counselor with nine years of experience. Trained in counseling students with special needs like ADD and ADHD. Specialize in virtual counseling and correcting behavior disorders through strengths-based counseling practices. Possess excellent record-keeping skills, active listening skills, and an outgoing attitude to keep approachable to students.

3 School Counselor Work Experience Examples

The work experience section is key to whether or not you’re selected for an interview. Impress recruiters by drafting a compelling work history section using our builder, which offers pre-written content you can easily customize with your own metrics.

Here are three work experience examples you might also consider:

  • Conducted over 70 group counseling sessions for special needs children at a community school in Detroit.
  • Spearheaded inter-school committee for the implementation of anti-bullying policies in public schools across New Jersey; reduced incidents by over 30%.
  • Introduced interactive workshops and career training programs that increased college application rates by 20%.

Top Skills for Your School Counselor Resume

Your skills section is critical to helping recruiters decide if you’re the right candidate for the job. You can borrow sought-after skills for school counselors from our school counselor resume example, or by taking additional suggestions from our Resume Builder.

Here’s a list of hard and soft skills that our builder might recommend for this role:

Hard Skills

  • Behavior assessment
  • Customized academic planning
  • SCUTA, MS Outlook
  • Individual and group counseling techniques

Soft Skills

  • Problem- solving
  • Approachable and empathetic
  • Excellent communication
  • Active listening

Building Your School Counselor Resume with Our Builder:

Select a Resume Template

Choose Pre-Written Phrases

Download, Print and Apply

School Counselor FAQs

Why do school counselors need to be tech-savvy?

School counselors need to be skilled in the use of technology, as its use is a central part of their work. This involves communicating with school staff, parents and students over email or Zoom, maintaining detailed digital records, and preparing class schedules. Virtual counseling is quickly gaining popularity as it allows students to connect more frequently with counselors.

What educational qualifications must school counselors possess?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, school counselors are required to have earned at least a master’s degree in counseling or a related field. Counselors also need a state credential to work in public schools, with some states even requiring prior classroom teaching experience.

What further opportunities are available for school counselors?

School counselors interested in accelerating their career can go beyond their master’s degree to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and become a school psychologist. While school psychologists might interact with students similarly to school counselors, they can further diagnose and treat problems. Although it might take an additional five to seven years to earn, a degree in clinical psychology broadens one’s employment opportunities to comprise academic research, consulting and more.