The requirements for becoming a career consultant typically include a college degree and training or relevant experience. You may choose to earn a degree in a field related to business, human resources, or counseling in preparation for this career path. You may also do well to seek training and gain experience in a related job. Additionally, you will typically need good communication skills to excel in this career and may build them through educational courses and extracurricular activities.
In most cases, you will need a college degree in order to become a career consultant. A four-year degree is usually sufficient for beginning this career, but some potential employers and clients may prefer career consultants who have earned advanced degrees, such as master’s or doctoral degrees, instead. There is no specific major you have to choose to become a career consultant. You may find it advantageous to select a business-, human-resources-, or psychology-related major, however. If you choose a business- or human-resources-related major, you may do well to take a course or two in counseling as well.
To become a career consultant, you will typically need above-average communication skills. You may begin honing these skills long before you enroll in college if you know you want to become a career consultant while you are still in high school. For example, you may take composition courses that help you build written communication skills. High school courses that provide practice with speaking in front of groups may also help you build important verbal communication skills. You may do well to continue honing these skills through courses and possibly extracurricular activities once you are enrolled in college.
While requirements may differ from employer to employer, many employers will expect you to have related experience or training. This usually doesn’t mean you will need experience as a career consultant, however. Instead, experience as an employment recruiter or human resource representative may help. You may even land a job without paid work experience in some cases. A related internship, for instance, may provide adequate training.
You may choose to become a career consultant, sometimes called adviser or counselor, for an employer, but this is not your only option. You may choose to become an independent consultant instead and find your own clients. In such a case, you will likely need a business license and a good plan for starting, marketing, and running your own business.
