Career Counselor Certification

Career counselors must meet supervised counseling experience requirements to become certified.

Career counselors provide services which help individuals make career decisions. They evaluate clients' education, skills, work history and personality to aid them in determining what jobs may suit the client best. Some states require career counselors to be licensed if they operate a private practice, but licensing requirements vary by state. Many career counselors choose to obtain national certification in addition to licensure because certification may improve employment prospects or expand their client base.

Description

The National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) offers voluntary certification for various types of counselors, including career counselors. Career counselors may earn the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential, which is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Career counselors who earn the NCC designation demonstrate that they meet professional and ethical standards within the field. The NCC certification is good for five years.

Education

In order to become an NCC, career counselors must have a master's degree in general counseling or career counseling and development from a regionally accredited college or university. Students currently enrolled in an appropriate master's program may also be eligible for certification if their school participates in the Graduate Student Application Process for the National Certified Counselor Credentials (GSA-NCC). Career counselors who have a master's degree must have completed at least 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours of graduate level counseling coursework and taken classes in a variety of counseling specialties including career and lifestyle development, human growth and development, research and program evaluation, and group work. Candidates must also complete two terms of field experience in counseling.

Experience

Career counselors must also complete a required amount of work experience in order to become certified. Candidates must complete at least 3,000 hours of career counseling work during the two years following the completion of their master's degree. In addition, a minimum of 100 of these hours must be devoted to face-to-face, supervised career counseling. The supervising counselor must hold an advanced graduate degree.

License

In lieu of meeting the NBCC's specific experience requirements, candidates who have met the licensing requirements for the state in which they work may also be eligible for the NCC credential. Licensed career counselors must still hold a master's degree in counseling or a mental health field.

Exam

Career counselors who wish to receive the NCC credential must also complete the NBCC's National Counselor Examination (NCE). The exam tests candidates' knowledge and skills in providing effective counseling services. Exam content includes human growth and development, career and lifestyle development, social and cultural foundations, group work, and research and program evaluation. The exam contains 200 multiple choice questions, which candidates have four hours to complete.

Benefits

NCC certification demonstrates to potential clients that career counselors meet professional standards in the field. Career counselors with the NCC credential may use the NBCC's referral program to market their services and may receive reduced liability insurance rates as well. Certified career counselors stay up to date with developments in their field through NCC newsletters and other communications. The NBCC also advocates on behalf of counselors in legal and legislative matters.

References

• National Board for Certified Counselors: NCC Eligibility
• National Board for Certified Counselors: NCC Certification
• National Board for Certified Counselors: The National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification
• Florida State University Educational Psychology and Learning Systems: Career Counseling