What Do Career Advisors Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for career advisors?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what career advisors 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.
Career Advisors Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about career advisors by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Career Advisors advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Popular Job Titles For Career Advisors
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Academic Advisors
- Employment Specialists
- School Counselors
- People Managers
- Housing Specialists
- Assessment Specialists
- Scheduling Specialists
- Job Developers
- High School Counselors
- After School Counselors
- Financial Services Specialists
- Career Advisors
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for career advisors can be found.
Best Industries for Career Advisors
Career Advisors Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 45.1%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 18.5%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 14.4%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 6.3%
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services: 2.5%
- Educational Support Services: 2.3%
- Other: 10.9%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of career advisors can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2022, about 45.1% of all jobs for career advisors were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Education and Hospitals (State Government) (18.5%), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (14.4%), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6.3%), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (2.5%) and Educational Support Services (2.3%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Career Advisors
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Do Career Advisors Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what career advisors 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 career advisors 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 career advisors tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for career advisors, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Career Advisors
Based on 144,204 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Career Advisors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 22,200 | 15% |
| School Counseling | 16,561 | 11% |
| Social Work | 15,732 | 11% |
| Academic Advising | 15,497 | 11% |
| Psychology | 12,007 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Career Advisors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 66,747 | 46% |
| Customer Service | 35,418 | 25% |
| Writing | 33,319 | 23% |
| Management | 31,672 | 22% |
| Planning | 29,310 | 20% |
Based on 144,204 job postings related to career advisors, student services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 15% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for school counseling, social work, academic advising, psychology and case management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for career advisors, followed by customer service, writing, management, planning and leadership.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 22,200 | 15% |
| School Counseling | 16,561 | 11% |
| Social Work | 15,732 | 11% |
| Academic Advising | 15,497 | 11% |
| Psychology | 12,007 | 8% |
| Case Management | 11,445 | 8% |
| Marketing | 10,977 | 8% |
| Human Services | 8,980 | 6% |
| Auditing | 8,525 | 6% |
| Mental Health | 8,180 | 6% |
| Office Equipment | 6,745 | 5% |
| Disabilities | 6,673 | 5% |
| Rehabilitation | 6,659 | 5% |
| Project Management | 6,206 | 4% |
| Special Education | 6,182 | 4% |
| Data Entry | 6,098 | 4% |
| Student Information Systems | 5,970 | 4% |
| Higher Education | 5,815 | 4% |
| Student Engagement | 5,732 | 4% |
| Accounting | 5,215 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 66,747 | 46% |
| Customer Service | 35,418 | 25% |
| Writing | 33,319 | 23% |
| Management | 31,672 | 22% |
| Planning | 29,310 | 20% |
| Leadership | 27,422 | 19% |
| Problem Solving | 23,560 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 21,558 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 21,183 | 15% |
| Advising | 20,901 | 14% |
| Detail Oriented | 19,614 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 19,218 | 13% |
| Operations | 19,168 | 13% |
| Research | 18,337 | 13% |
| Presentations | 16,896 | 12% |
| Organizational Skills | 16,467 | 11% |
| Microsoft Excel | 16,465 | 11% |
| Teaching | 16,035 | 11% |
| English Language | 14,852 | 10% |
| Sales | 14,452 | 10% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Career Advisors
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Advisors | 18,270 | 14.8% |
| Employment Specialists | 15,016 | 12.2% |
| School Counselors | 13,566 | 11% |
| People Managers | 11,657 | 9.5% |
| Housing Specialists | 9,755 | 7.9% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was academic advisors, with 6,344 unique job postings. Employment specialists were second, with 6,046 postings, followed by school counselors, people managers and housing specialists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to career advisors.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Advisors | 18,270 | 14.8% |
| Employment Specialists | 15,016 | 12.2% |
| School Counselors | 13,566 | 11% |
| People Managers | 11,657 | 9.5% |
| Housing Specialists | 9,755 | 7.9% |
| Assessment Specialists | 4,379 | 3.6% |
| Scheduling Specialists | 7,390 | 6% |
| Job Developers | 4,330 | 3.5% |
| High School Counselors | 2,957 | 2.4% |
| After School Counselors | 3,779 | 3.1% |
| Financial Services Specialists | 3,245 | 2.6% |
| Career Advisors | 2,887 | 2.3% |
| Guidance Counselors | 3,207 | 2.6% |
| Career Coaches | 3,396 | 2.8% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors | 4,084 | 3.3% |
| Elementary School Counselors | 2,421 | 2% |
| Guest Services Specialists | 5,659 | 4.6% |
| College Counselors | 2,363 | 1.9% |
| Placement Specialists | 2,791 | 2.3% |
| Middle School Counselors | 1,908 | 1.6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for career advisors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for career advisors.
How much do career advisors make?
Career Advisors: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.