What Do Youth Services Counselors Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for youth services counselors?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what youth services counselors do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Youth Services Counselors Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about youth services counselors by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Youth Services Counselors all counselors not listed separately.
Popular Job Titles For Youth Services Counselors
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Board Certified Behavior Analysts
- Youth Counselors
- Behavior Analysts
- ABA Clinical Supervisors
- Youth Development Counselors
- Youth Program Coordinators
- Hospitality Specialists
- Residential Youth Counselors
- Youth Coordinators
- Youth Mentors
- Behavioral Analysts
- Youth Services Coordinators
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for youth services counselors can be found.
Best Industries for Youth Services Counselors
Youth Services Counselors Jobs By Industry
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 25.6%
- Individual and Family Services: 16.3%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 7.8%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 6.8%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 5.5%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 3.4%
- Other: 34.6%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of youth services counselors can be found working in the Offices of Other Health Practitioners sector. In 2022, about 25.6% of all jobs for youth services counselors were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Individual and Family Services (16.3%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (7.8%), Outpatient Care Centers (6.8%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (5.5%) and Education and Hospitals (State Government) (3.4%).
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What Do Youth Services Counselors Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what youth services counselors do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work youth services counselors do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that youth services counselors tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for youth services counselors, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Youth Services Counselors
Based on 35,534 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Youth Services Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Planning | 9,702 | 27% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 9,622 | 27% |
| Psychology | 9,464 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 7,326 | 21% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,539 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Youth Services Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 11,340 | 32% |
| Leadership | 5,559 | 16% |
| Research | 4,482 | 13% |
| Management | 4,128 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,128 | 12% |
Based on 35,534 job postings related to youth services counselors, treatment planning was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 27% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for autism spectrum disorders, psychology, applied behavior analysis, functional behavior assessment and special education were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for youth services counselors, followed by leadership, research, management, planning and mentorship.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Planning | 9,702 | 27% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 9,622 | 27% |
| Psychology | 9,464 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 7,326 | 21% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,539 | 16% |
| Special Education | 4,641 | 13% |
| Data Collection | 3,787 | 11% |
| Intervention Plans | 3,554 | 10% |
| Social Work | 3,554 | 10% |
| Developmental Disabilities | 3,429 | 10% |
| Visual Basic (Programming Language) | 3,111 | 9% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 3,042 | 9% |
| Working With Children | 2,991 | 8% |
| Disabilities | 2,855 | 8% |
| Billing | 2,764 | 8% |
| Mental Health | 2,337 | 7% |
| Deficits | 2,234 | 6% |
| Caregiving | 2,078 | 6% |
| Behavior Management | 2,047 | 6% |
| Data Analysis | 2,046 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 11,340 | 32% |
| Leadership | 5,559 | 16% |
| Research | 4,482 | 13% |
| Management | 4,128 | 12% |
| Planning | 4,128 | 12% |
| Mentorship | 3,811 | 11% |
| Teaching | 3,712 | 10% |
| Writing | 3,686 | 10% |
| Progress Reporting | 3,678 | 10% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,401 | 10% |
| Time Management | 3,031 | 9% |
| Coaching | 2,925 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 2,876 | 8% |
| Operations | 2,694 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 2,672 | 8% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,469 | 7% |
| Customer Service | 2,325 | 7% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,234 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,190 | 6% |
| Microsoft Excel | 2,169 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Youth Services Counselors
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Board Certified Behavior Analysts | 140,870 | 85.2% |
| Youth Counselors | 4,641 | 2.8% |
| Behavior Analysts | 4,469 | 2.7% |
| ABA Clinical Supervisors | 2,721 | 1.6% |
| Youth Development Counselors | 1,195 | 0.7% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was board certified behavior analysts, with 20,289 unique job postings. Youth counselors were second, with 1,559 postings, followed by behavior analysts, aba clinical supervisors and youth development counselors.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to youth services counselors.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Board Certified Behavior Analysts | 140,870 | 85.2% |
| Youth Counselors | 4,641 | 2.8% |
| Behavior Analysts | 4,469 | 2.7% |
| ABA Clinical Supervisors | 2,721 | 1.6% |
| Youth Development Counselors | 1,195 | 0.7% |
| Youth Program Coordinators | 1,298 | 0.8% |
| Hospitality Specialists | 1,222 | 0.7% |
| Residential Youth Counselors | 1,522 | 0.9% |
| Youth Coordinators | 882 | 0.5% |
| Youth Mentors | 1,560 | 0.9% |
| Behavioral Analysts | 839 | 0.5% |
| Youth Services Coordinators | 448 | 0.3% |
| Youth Development Coordinators | 420 | 0.3% |
| Relocation Coordinators | 382 | 0.2% |
| Applied Behavior Analysts | 496 | 0.3% |
| Peer Mentors | 627 | 0.4% |
| Board Certified Behavioral Analysts | 422 | 0.3% |
| Behavioral Youth Counselors | 647 | 0.4% |
| Youth Sports Coordinators | 262 | 0.2% |
| Youth Care Counselors | 394 | 0.2% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for youth services counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for youth services counselors.
How much do youth services counselors make?
Youth Services Counselors: How do you become one?
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