What Do Placement Specialists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for placement specialists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what placement specialists 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.
Placement Specialists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about placement specialists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Placement Specialists advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Popular Job Titles For Placement Specialists
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 placement specialists can be found.
Best Industries for Placement Specialists
Placement Specialists 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 placement specialists can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2022, about 45.1% of all jobs for placement specialists 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%).
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What Do Placement Specialists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what placement specialists 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 placement specialists 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 placement specialists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for placement specialists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Placement Specialists
Based on 144,204 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Placement Specialists
| 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 Placement Specialists
| 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 placement specialists, 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 placement specialists, 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 Placement Specialists
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 placement specialists.
| 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 placement specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for placement specialists.
How much do placement specialists make?
Placement Specialists: How do you become one?
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