• Being a school guidance counselor is a bit different than becoming a regular counselor, because you must train to be both a counselor and a teacher. Also, school counseling is one of the few counseling specialties that requires work with children of all ages on a consistent basis. For more information on how to become a teacher, see Mahalo's page on how to become a teacher.

• Nearly all school counselors work in a school setting, and most often in a public school system. Counselors can work in:

1. Public schools
2. Private schools
3. Elementary schools
4. Middle schools or junior high schools
5. High schoolsBureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors

Typical counselor job duties include:

1. Setting student schedules
2. Career counseling
3. Social and academic adjustment
4. Psychological treatment and therapyBureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors

• States decide the licensing requirements for school counselors. The requirements vary from state to state for school counselor licensing and certification, but many states require both a teaching certificate and a separate counseling license. Check with the state where you plan to attend school and the state in which you plan to work to learn which requirements will apply to you.

The American School Counselor Association maintains a state certification website that breaks down counselor education requirements by state.American School Counselor Association: State certification requirements Some of those educational requirements include:

1. Bachelor's degree in counseling: Some states only require a bachelor's degree in counseling plus a teaching certificate to be eligible to be a school counselor.
2. Master's degree in counseling: Other states require you to complete a master's degree in counseling in order to get licensed.
3. CACREP certification: The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) sets standards for master's counseling education programs that many states follow. Although CACREP is a voluntary accreditation, and not all states require it, it is one way to ensure that your educational program will meet or exceed the standards for you to get licensed.CACREP: Home page
4. Work experience: A few states, like Texas, require you to have classroom experience before you can become a school counselor.Texas Education Association: School Counselors FAQ

• Nearly all school counselors work in the public or private educational system. There are several ways to find and get school counselor jobs:Bureau of Labor Statistics: Counselors

1. School district websites: Most school districts maintain websites with job postings that are updated regularly.
2. Regional websites: Some cities and states have pooled their resources to create job websites for larger regions. You submit one application to dozens of school districts for hundreds of jobs.
3. Newspapers: Local newspapers publish school counselor jobs in their classifieds sections, which is still a useful place to search for jobs.
4. Online search engines: Career Builder and Monster.com are two well-known search engines that post jobs from many different areas across the country. Job sites like these still provide a good starting place to look for school guidance counselor positions.
5. Networking: Asking family and friends who live in the area in which you would like to work can also be helpful.
6. Private schools: Private schools, including charter schools, parochial schools and prep schools, also require school counselors. Their jobs are not usually posted along with public school job openings in the same area.
7. Relocating: If the job market is tight in your preferred area of employment, it may be necessary to move to a different city or state in order to find the job you really want.
8. Job fairs: Many large school districts in need of teachers hold yearly job fairs. For example, in February 2009, the Atlanta, Georgia-area school system held a job fair where it planned to hire more than 100 teachers and counselors. Chicago, Illinois, also held a teaching job fair in March 2009.MyFox Atlanta: Hundreds of Educators Attend Job Fair (February 28, 2009) Illinois Association of School Boards: Job fair 2009 (March 7, 2009)