skip to Main Content

Counsellor Job Description

Our Counsellor job description includes the Counsellor responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.

Counsellor Example


Our Job Advertising Packages

Choose the best package, edit the advert and post your job!

 StarterPremiumCorporateNationalBrandedResourcer
Reed
Indeed Sponsored
Monster
Google Jobs
Glassdoor
LinkedIn Jobs
Totaljobs
Jobsite
Guardian Jobs
CV-Library
Industry boards
CV Targeting*
many more
£99£199£329£349£399£599
Job Advert Package + Flat Fee Recruitment Services
CV Filtering
Video Interviewing
Interview Scheduling
£799£799£929£949£999£1199

If you need an example job description for a Counsellor download the one below, alternatively we have many other Healthcare job description samples and a job description library with over 3000 job descriptions templates that you can download for free.

What does a Counsellor do?

A counsellor is a qualified individual who uses counselling methods to help people manage and overcome mental and emotional issues. Their duties include listening to patients, developing treatment plans, and creating coping strategies. They work in mental health facilities, hospitals, and schools.

Counsellor Role

We seek a counsellor who will be responsible for helping people overcome and manage emotional and mental health issues. As a counsellor, you will listen and question patients to gain an understanding of their problems, developing strategies that will improve their lives. Your duties will include treating, diagnosing, and helping patients by creating coping strategies. You will monitor and support patient progress, working with groups and individuals, providing access to community resources.

Counsellor Duties

  • Diagnose patient’s emotional and mental disorders
  • Counsel community groups and individual patients
  • Evaluate patient’s during conversations and interviews to determine the right course of testing and examination
  • Develop a treatment plan with elements such as counselling, medication, or other services
  • Referring patients to resources such as treatment facilities, psychiatrists, or community services
  • Access patient needs and develop patient strategies
  • Maintain good working relationships with government resources, support networks, and community resources
  • Set patient goals and discuss treatment plans
  • Listen, encourage, and support patients
  • Assist patients and discuss experiences and emotions
  • Assist patients thru complex life challenges and changes
  • Educate patients on coping skills
  • Advise and guide patients as they make difficult decisions
  • Help patients with various issues such as substance abuse, anger management, bullying, depression, relationships, stress, and suicide

Counsellor Requirements

  • Counsellors
  • Counselling
  • Compassionate and caring
  • Excellent time management skills
  • Organised and able to prioritise
  • Comfortable in a fast-paced multiple-patient environment
  • Able to handle large amounts of files, dates, schedules, and information
  • Calm with a positive attitude
  • Self-motivated
  • Comfortable with building personal relationships and committed to helping others
  • Provide support thru mentorship and leadership
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in psychology, clinical mental health counselling, marriage, family therapy
  • Licenced and regulated to perform counselling
  • Microsoft Office Suite and proficiency with Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
  • Able to work nites and weekends
  • Good interpersonal skills and communication skills

How to write a Counsellor Job Advert

Use our job advert template to write a job advert for posting on job sites and job boards. Our job advertising templates are carefully created to help you reach your audience and beat the competition to the best talent.

A job description informs the reader about a job, whereas a job advert’s main objective is to sell the job opportunity to attract as many suitable applicants possible. A job advert maybe the first touch-point a candidate has with your company so it is important to create a great impression.

Job Advertisements should enticing, so considering using short, exciting language which get the reader’s attention.

How to write a Counsellor Job Description

To write a job description, we recommend starting with a job description template from our job description library, which contains examples for 800+ positions and professions. Our job description examples include a job summary with duties and responsibilities and skills and requirements, which can be personalised for your job vacancy.

Job Description Advice - Guidance on How to Personalise a Counsellor Job Specification

The hiring process and recruiting new employees to fill your key roles requires a degree of personalisation if you are to attract the best employees in a competitive employment market. The right person for a crucial role or more senior roles will likely have other employers targeting them. As your job description will be the first point of contact, you need to nail your pitch and provide the best possible service.

Job Description Tips - Help on formatting a Counsellor Job Specification

When creating your bespoke description and advert, you should cover and promote these points:

Job title: This should accurately reflect the role and include keywords that top talent might be using to search for jobs.

Job duties: The day to day duties, such as administrative tasks, which vary depending on the company and inform the candidate if they can complete the role.

Technical skills: These are the hard skills required through training, such as proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Soft skills: These include the interpersonal skills and general abilities the right candidates will possess. For example, the competency to prioritise multiple tasks, handle customer queries and customer complaints, work alone, or build a good relationship with coworkers.

The company's culture: Highlighting your company culture and values ensures employees thrive and find outstanding job satisfaction. Candidates that are not the right fit won’t waste their time completing the application process, meaning you can focus on qualified individuals and hire in a more timely manner.

Career progression: Including the career path will entice candidates looking for career growth. 

Training and development programs: Smaller companies may need employees with previous experience or provide educational assistance over internal training offered by larger organisations with more significant resources. 

Employee benefits: Compensation and benefits often fail to appear in job ads and while you may want to hold your cards close to your chest, failing to include them is a mistake. Consider answering common questions, such as working hours and paid leave. Researching the average salary for the role in these early stages will ensure you don’t waste your interviewer’s and the candidate’s time.

Skill gaps: Your company may need to bring in new skills beyond those required to complete the key role and duties. Thinking on an organisational level can be beneficial when contemplating skills diversity.

Legal requirements: Ensure your job advert and description does not ask for inappropriate or discriminatory personal details, such as age, marital status, or religion.

How to Hire a Counsellor

Once you have selected your Job Description download it or convert it to a Job Advert. From here you can post/advertise your job across our network of job boards. If you wish to use the job description for a CV Template click through for advice and Convert to a CV

Back To Top