Counselor Resume Examples
Land your desired job with help from our Counselor resume examples! We’ve got high-quality samples, plus tips for organizing and writing each resume section.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Counselor resume
summary examples
Did you know a recruiter spends an average of seven seconds scanning your resume?
You’ll have to grab their attention quickly when your resume lands in their hands, and the best way to do that is with a resume summary.
This resume introduction consists of two to three sentences summarizing the skills, qualifications and experiences that best show you’re perfect for the job.
Experienced applicants should opt for the professional summary. However, if you’re an inexperienced candidate applying for an entry-level position, you will benefit more from an objective statement.
You can list your most job-relevant skills with a resume objective and explain how they’ll help you achieve your professional goals.
Check out the following examples to determine which approach is right for you.
Good example:
“ An experienced and passionate Counselor with 5+ years of experience providing guidance and support to individuals of all ages. Proven track record of helping clients overcome personal challenges and reach their goals through effective communication and counseling techniques. Skilled in creating a safe and trusting environment to foster growth and development.”
Why this example passes:
- Feature candidate’s success statistic to grab attention. Numbers add detail about how big the results you deliver are, e.g., test scores, passing rate and more.
- Shows career length, 11 years.
- Mentions employer-desired skills: student motivation and interactive lessons.
Bad example:
“ Passionate and dedicated Counselor with extensive experience in providing counseling services to diverse populations. Committed to helping individuals achieve their goals and improve their lives. Skilled in developing and implementing effective strategies to promote mental health and well-being.”
Why this example fails:
- Doesn’t include any numbers that quantify counselor’s performance
- Uses vague descriptions and skills.
- Doesn’t include years of teaching experience.
The fastest way to write your
professional summary
Impress employers by featuring must-have skills for a Counselor and achievements that make you an irresistible employee. Find the best content suggestions for your professional summary in our Resume Builder that will wow recruiters.
- 1
Enter the details about the job title you held. The builder comes preloaded with auto-suggested phrasing written by resume experts.
- 2
Then, just pick from these suggested phrases that best frame your experience and customize them to your liking!
- 3
All you have to do is choose the summary phrases that best frame your experience. It’s like having a professional do it for you!
You’ll find content written by resume experts in our Resume Builder, but you can also take it above and beyond and employ our professional resume-writing services! Get ready for the job search by taking advantage of the resume-writing tools that are best for you.
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Counselor resume work
experience examples
As an Counselor, your work experience section is crucial to convince employers you’re the best candidate. Picking job-relevant skills and achievements is vital to write a good resume since they must directly respond to the employer’s needs. The following work experience examples will help you identify the do’s and don’ts of writing this essential resume section.
Good example:
Rolling Meadows Middle School I Rolling Meadows, IL I 8/2018-current
- Provided one-on-one counseling sessions to students, helping them to identify and address their individual challenges
- Developed and implemented programs to help students develop social and emotional skills, such as conflict resolution and anger management
- Collaborated with school staff and administrators to create a safe and supportive learning environment for students
- Facilitated group counseling sessions to address issues such as bullying, self-esteem, and academic performance.
Why this example passes:
- Numbers and statistics add detail and quantify the results this counselor delivers: 4% improvement and a class size of 20-25.
- Good use of strong words and active language.
- References specialized value cahier provides with “individualized lesson plans.”
Bad example:
Emily Dickinson Elementary I Redmond, WA I 4/2022-present
- Counseled students on academic and personal issues
- Assisted in creating and implementing programs
- Met with parents to discuss student progress
- Answered questions and provided guidance to students
Why this example fails:
- Lacks numbers or statistics.
- Describes general tasks, not teaching achievements or career highlights.
- Uses active verbs, but doesn’t focus on results.
Counselor resume skills examples
Here are 18 sample skills for counselor:
- Trained in indicators of child abuse
- Anxiety disorder expertise
- Mental dysfunction
- Counseling
- Needs Assessment
- Database Management
- Office Administration
- Care Planning
- Treatment Planning
- Crisis Intervention
- Mental Health Support
- Client Records Management
- Client Advocacy
- Client Needs Assessment
- Intervention Planning
- Social Work
- Crisis Response
- Client Counseling
You should sprinkle skills and abilities throughout your resume. Include them in your professional summary, work experience blurbs and a dedicated skills section.
Examples of additional resume sections
Your Counselor resume must include your contact information, professional summary, work experience, skills and education. You can further customize your resume with extra sections to showcase other qualifications.
Here are some examples of optional counselor resume sections that you could add to provide greater detail:
- References
- Languages
- Additional skills
- Certifications
- Accomplishments
- Interests
- Soft skills
- Professional skills
Only include extra sections if they provide real value to your resume. Your resume should be brief and concise rather than long and redundant.
Examples of resume formats
You can use one of three established layouts to organize your resume sections, also called resume formats. The three resume formats are chronological, functional and combination.
The main difference among them is whether or not they give more visual weight to your work history or to your skills section. The format you should select for your resume is based on your years of work experience as a counselor.
How to choose a resume format
0-3
Years of experience
Functional formats
- Focus on skills.
- Best for first-time counselor who lack work experience.
- Good for people re-entering workforce.
- May omit dates in the work history section.
Organization:
- Skills listed above work experience.
3-10
Years of experience
Combination formats
- Balance skills and work history.
- Ideal for mid-career counselor.
- Suitable for career changers and people seeking promotion.
Organization:
- Skills next to or above work experience.
10+
Years of experience
Chronological formats
- Put the most focus on work history.
- Best for counselor with a long, steady career.
- Most popular format.
- Preferred by recruiters.
Organization:
- Work experience listed above skills.
Once you know the best format for you, it’s easy to pick a counselor resume template. Templates are preformatted layouts created by design professionals to ensure your resume looks amazing!
Don’t forget your counselor cover letter
A cover letter works hand-in-hand with your resume to make a stronger case for why you deserve the job.
Communication is a foundational skill for any good Counselor, and one excellent way to demonstrate it is with a cover letter.
A cover letter allows you to tell the story of how you’ve developed valuable skills and learned to overcome obstacles.
And you don’t even have to spend too much time writing a cover letter when you use our Cover Letter Builder!
The process is completely automated, and all you have to do is copy and paste the personalized content suggestions written by our professional resume writers.
Wrap everything up in a visually attractive design that conveys professionalism by picking any of our easy-to-customize cover letter templates.
For more tips on creating a compelling cover letter, check out our guide on How to Write a Cover Letter.
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