Make a Difference by Writing a Great Counseling Resume
By Sayaka Seino
When writing a resume for a counseling position, most of the general rules of resume-writing apply: Your educational and professional experience must be listed. Things should be kept brief, clear, and relevant. The general appearance should be clean and professional. On the surface, there may not be anything unusual about a counseling resume. Therefore, it is important to let your enthusiasm for the job show through between the lines. Let your potential employer know you are dedicated to helping others. Your love for the purpose of the position will be your most valuable qualification.

	By tailoring your resume carefully to the specific needs of the potential employer while letting your enthusiasm for the career show through, you're sure to produce a winning resume.

There are several things to remember as you are writing a resume for the counseling field. Counseling is a job unlike any other job out there. You not only have to be good at what you do, you must have a desire to make a difference in people's lives. You must be committed to the people you'll be working with before you even apply for a counseling job. If you aren't qualified and committed, it will show in your resume and you won't be a very strong prospect for the job.

Your counseling resume should showcase the reasons why you would be perfect for the job. It should include all of your experience in the field as well as any education you have that qualifies you for the job you are seeking. When you mention your previous places of employment, don't just list the positions you held. Talk about how your skills benefited your former employers and the experiences where you were able to make a difference in people's lives.

If you don't have the type of experience you think you need, you may want to focus on the education you've received. An education in counseling, especially if it's recent, can take the place of experience. Explain how well your education prepared you for work in the counseling field. This will help the potential employer see how you would be a good fit for the counseling job you're seeking.

Counseling is a community-oriented job, so using your resume to show your involvement in the community will work in your favor.

Other information you may choose to include are volunteer activities and any community organizations you are involved in. Counseling is a community-oriented job, so using your resume to show your involvement in the community will work in your favor. It will also provide useful background information regarding your interpersonal and communication skills and your willingness to serve. If you don't have a lot of community experience, try to highlight anything else you've done in your life that relates back to counseling in some way.

Your references are going to be important when applying for a counseling position. Be sure to have references who can attest to the good things you would do for people if you got the job. Your references don't have to be listed on your resume but they should be available upon request and be notified ahead of time that they may be contacted.

Using industry-related jargon is one way you can show you're good at what you do and that you understand the industry. However, too much technical language can make your resume appear flashy and pompous. You want to show that you know what you're doing while letting your potential employer know you're genuine and will be someone your clients can trust.

Lastly, remember to read the job requirements carefully, then polish your resume to fit the needs of the position you're applying for. This might mean removing the elements that are irrelevant and placing more emphasis on skills you want the potential employer to notice. By tailoring your resume carefully to the specific needs of the potential employer while letting your enthusiasm for the career show through, you're sure to produce a winning resume for a counseling position.