工作内容
职业顾问（Career Counselors）或称职业咨询师、职业咨询，一般任职于学校、政府、监狱以及一些商业咨询机构，主要帮助客户选择及确立职业或教育目标。*(5)
工作职责：
- 使用合理有效的评估方法帮助客户评估其兴趣、技能与能力等；
- 评估客户的教育、培训及其它背景，帮助其确立可行目标；
- 指导客户选择职业，如换工作、换专业、选择攻读学位类型等；
- 培训客户如何找工作，如如何面试，如何建立及使用人脉等；
- 通过教授客户撰写简历、寻找工作机会等技巧，帮助客户查找及申请工作；
- 建议或教授客户如何处理工作问题，如与老板或上司的冲突等；
- 帮助客户确立及选择学习项目，如学位、证书或技能等。*(6)
入行门槛
美国的职业顾问通常必须拥有硕士学位，咨询专业职业咨询方向或其相关专业毕业。一般不需要通过相关的注册认证。*(4)
与职业顾问相关的证书是由美国职业顾问理事会会（National Board for Certified Counselors）颁发的。该证书并非职业顾问执业必需，但拥有该证书可以提高职业顾问的职业竞争力。欲获得该证书必需满足以下几个条件：
- 硕士以上学历；
- 2000-3000个小时职业顾问从业经验（约合1-1.5年的时间）；
- 通过相关认证考试；*(4)
品质与技能
职业顾问必需具备的品质与技能：
- 同情心（Compassion）；
- 倾听的技巧（Listening skills）；
- 为人处事（People skills）
- 表达能力（Speaking skills）*(4)
就业展望与薪资
美国职业顾问从业行业及薪水列表：
2015年
美国从业人数最多州（前五）：
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| California | 28,130 | 1.82 | 0.99 | $30.45 | $63,330 |
| Texas | 22,750 | 1.97 | 1.07 | $27.24 | $56,650 |
| New York | 21,190 | 2.36 | 1.28 | $31.13 | $64,750.00 |
| Florida | 10,430 | 1.32 | 0.72 | $26.15 | $54,380 |
| Illinois | 9,620 | 1.64 | 0.89 | $27.96 | $58,150 |
*(1)
美国产业最集中州（前五）：
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Arizona | 8,040 | 3.11 | 1.69 | $21.58 | $44,890 |
| Connecticut | 4,670 | 2.82 | 1.53 | $28.27 | $58,800 |
| Idaho | 1,630 | 2.54 | 1.38 | $20.21 | $42,040.00 |
| Vermont | 760 | 2.52 | 1.37 | $25.65 | $53,340 |
| Missouri | 6,730 | 2.48 | 1.35 | $22.27 | $46,320 |
*(1)
美国从业人数最多都会区：
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 13,740 | 2.12 | 1.15 | $32.89 | $68,410 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 8,110 | 1.98 | 1.08 | $31.06 | $64,610 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 6,040 | 1.69 | 0.92 | $29.29 | $60,920 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 5,880 | 3.13 | 1.71 | $22.40 | $46,590 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,020 | 2.03 | 1.1 | $28.21 | $58,670 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 4,610 | 1.57 | 0.86 | $28.52 | $59,320 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 4,520 | 1.87 | 1.02 | $33.14 | $68,920 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 3,980 | 1.71 | 0.93 | $29.70 | $61,780 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division | 3,170 | 1.8 | 0.98 | $29.96 | $62,330 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,950 | 2.25 | 1.22 | $27.88 | $57,980 |
*(1)
美国产业业最集中都会区：
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Ithaca, NY | 550 | 11 | 5.99 | $33.09 | $68,820 |
| Merced, CA | 370 | 5.74 | 3.12 | $30.05 | $62,500 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 550 | 5.47 | 2.98 | $22.22 | $46,220 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 290 | 5.47 | 2.98 | $23.54 | $48,970 |
| Provo-Orem, UT | 970 | 4.71 | 2.56 | $22.15 | $46,070 |
| Bloomington, IN | 300 | 4.54 | 2.47 | $30.83 | $64,130 |
| Corvallis, OR | 150 | 4.44 | 2.42 | $23.09 | $48,020 |
| Columbia, MO | 400 | 4.37 | 2.38 | $20.31 | $42,250 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 350 | 4.35 | 2.37 | $21.93 | $45,620 |
| Waterbury, CT | 290 | 4.22 | 2.3 | $26.36 | $54,820 |
*(1)
注：
(1) Location quotient ：产业集中指数，其数值是该州该产业的从业人数的比重与全美平均水准的比值，大于1代表该州该职业每千人从业人数比例高于全美平均水平，反之，小于1则代表其低于全美平均水平。公式：（Employment per thousand jobs）/[Σ（Employment per thousand jobs）/50]
(2) 以上四表均是2015年5月美国劳工统计局公布的数据。
2012年
从业人数最多：
| 行业 | 行业英文名 | 从业人数 | 比例（‰） | 时新 | 年薪 |
| 中小学教育 | Elementary and Secondary Schools | 124,200 | 1.50 | $30.27 | $62,970 |
| 高等教育 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 45,770 | 1.58 | $23.61 | $49,110 |
| 专科院校 | Junior Colleges | 19,400 | 2.54 | $27.27 | $56,730 |
| 职业康复服务 | Vocational Rehabilitation Services | 11,010 | 3.39 | $18.24 | $37,940 |
| 个人与家庭服务 | Individual and Family Services | 5,540 | 0.42 | $18.89 | $39,290 |
从业最集中：
| 行业 | 行业英文名 | 从业人数 | 比例（‰） | 时新 | 年薪 |
| 职业康复服务 | Vocational Rehabilitation Services | 11,010 | 3.39 | $18.24 | $37,940 |
| 专科院校 | Junior Colleges | 19,400 | 2.54 | $27.27 | $56,730 |
| 教育支持服务业 | Educational Support Services | 3,630 | 2.46 | $23.58 | $49,040 |
| 技术与贸易学校 | Technical and Trade Schools | 3,480 | 2.25 | $24.03 | $49,990 |
| 高等教育 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 45,770 | 1.58 | $23.61 | $49,110 |
*(1)
注：以上两表数据均为2012年美国劳工统计局公布的数据，包括职业顾问与学生辅导员两种职业。
美国从业人数最多州（前五）：
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| California | 29,790 | 2.08 | 1.14 | $31.13 | $64,750 |
| Texas | 21,290 | 2.01 | 1.10 | $26.28 | $54,670 |
| New York | 17,780 | 2.08 | 1.14 | $30.18 | $62,770 |
| Pennsylvania | 11,130 | 1.99 | 1.09 | $25.63 | $53,310 |
| Illinois | 9,870 | 1.75 | 0.96 | $28.80 | $59,900 |
美国产业最集中州（前五）：
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Missouri | 6,930 | 2.66 | 1.46 | $22.44 | $46,670 |
| Wyoming | 710 | 2.54 | 1.39 | $27.91 | $58,050 |
| Vermont | 740 | 2.53 | 1.39 | $24.37 | $50,680 |
| South Carolina | 4,370 | 2.43 | 1.33 | $26.07 | $54,220 |
| Maryland | 5,940 | 2.36 | 1.30 | $28.68 | $59,650 |
*(1)
注：
(1) Location quotient ：产业集中指数，其数值是该州该产业的从业人数的比重与全美平均水准的比值，大于1代表该州该职业每千人从业人数比例高于全美平均水平，反之，小于1则代表其低于全美平均水平。公式：（Employment per thousand jobs）/[Σ（Employment per thousand jobs）/50]
(2) 以上两表均是2012年5月美国劳工统计局公布的数据，是职业顾问与学生辅导员两种职业的综合数据。
参考资料：
(1) Educational, Guidance, School, and Vocational Counselors US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(2) School and Career Counselors -Summary US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(3) School and Career Counselors -Job Outlook US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(4) School and Career Counselors - How to Become a School or Career Counselor US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(5) School and Career Counselors - Work Environment US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(6) School and Career Counselors - What School Counselors Do US Bureau of Labor Statistics