In many ways, the job of you as a career counselor is that of someone in the field of public speaking. You might wonder how and why. Consider this: your job as a career guide involves meeting strangers on an almost daily basis. Introducing yourself, breaking the ice and subsequently, setting the tone for all future interactions and sessions is akin to being a public speaker. Hence, the obvious and foremost skill required for a career counselor is communication skills. We will now dive deeper into the subject, to understand the similarities. Here is an article on How Public Speaking Is Important To Become A Counselor .
Table of Contents
- Public Speaking
- Career Counselor- Qualities That Make You Much Sought-After
- Importance Of Public Speaking For A Career Counselor
- Great Oration Encompasses Verbal And Non-Verbal Communication
- Art Of Persuasion
- Ability To Motivate
- Molding Your Knowledge To Suit The Audience
- Become A Master With Careerguide
- FAQ’s on How Public Speaking is Important to become a Counselor
Public Speaking
Public speaking involves you going out and letting go of your fear (or even pretending to do so) and addressing a group of individuals. A successful public speaker would have to be:
- Confident: or let us say, appearing confident!!
- Engaging: so as to ensure that the audience remains interested, and enthralled
- Encouraging: so that the audience would freely interact with him/her
- Maintaining a level of authority: since he/she holds the expertise and knowledge
- People skills: friendly, approachable, and exhibiting the personality of an extrovert (even if you are not!)
- Building a connection: ensuring that the audience builds a rapport with you, in a short span of time.
Career Counselor- Qualities That Make You Much Sought-After
Just like an orator, you are dealing on a public forum, with strangers who have come to you for advice.
- Knowledge: having adequate knowledge on a variety of subjects that would be of interest to the subject
- Communication skills: effective communication skills are imperative so that the subject feels cared for.
- Interpersonal skills: patience, a sincere interest in other people that would help break down the client’s mental resistance. It would also help the counselee open up, making counseling sessions smooth sailing.
Now that we have looked upon each aspect, which is a separate working profession in itself, the similarities become obvious. The two vocations are definitely not mutually inclusive! However, good oratory skills become an undeniable requisite of an excellent career counselor.
Importance Of Public Speaking For A Career Counselor
Let us understand now, how critical it is for you to be an eloquent speaker, in order to become a successful career counselor. In both professions, communication is the key to success. For it is this tool that will help in endearing you to your listener.
Great Oration Encompasses Verbal And Non-Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication Skills:
- Being approachable
- Friendly
- Being attentive
- Quick-witted
- Sense of humor: that can be effectively applied to guarantee audience engagement.
- Speech: comprising of several factors:
- Clarity: That you speak coherently
- Intonation and voice modulation: Ensuring that the tone is not flat and humdrum. Keeping a lively, even animated voice makes even the most boring subject worth a listen to.
- Concise and choosing a vocabulary that can be easily understood: After all the goal is to make sure that the listener imbibes your guidance. That is what he has come to you for!
Non-Verbal Communication:
- The energy you ooze: Nervous, jittery energy will never put the listener at ease
- Body language: That you are open to accepting new people in a non-judgmental manner; that you are friendly and approachable
- facial expressions: Keeping a pleasant smile that conveys friendly confidence and authority
- Eye-contact: Maintaining a confident and steady gaze lets the listener know that you know your trade and are confident in it.
(tip: it is also easy to go overboard. Hence, a 3-5 second gaze would be succinct, and would ensure that you do not come across as a creep!! We wouldn’t want that now!) It becomes clearer that effective public speaking skills are indispensable for good career counselors. Your client (student or professional who wants your guidance) will come to you with his / her own set of personal reservations. Perhaps, also an unconscious reluctance to listen to you. Communication is what will break down that wall. There might be several other individuals with the same level of knowledge. How you deliver it and receive communication from your audience or subject is what sets you apart.
In fact, you even have the opportunity to strike that rapport, that might have been missing all this while. Reciprocal communication also means that the audience or the listener feels that he is being heard and understood. A Beautiful Two-Way, Open-Minded Communication, With A Strictly Objective Outlook! Reciprocity in public speaking (both verbal and non-verbal communication) also helps deliver the very basics of career counseling .
Art Of Persuasion
When you connect with the listener is when you are able to master the art of persuasion. This can be achieved through:
- understanding the client’s spoken and unstated needs
- building a bridge between his expectations and your objectives
- building trust through a wonderful blend of humility and authority: so that your listener actually listens to what you are telling him!
It is when the subject decides to entrust you with absolutely no sliver of doubt, that you acquire the role of ‘persuader‘. The ability to sway his / her decisions is the art of persuasion.
Ability To Motivate
As a successful orator, you talk less and listen more. You detect and imbibe the energy of your client and work on the same level (not vice versa!) Identifying the goals set by the subject is integral. These might be explicitly stated to you, or you as a career guide, have to figure it out. This can be attained by:
- building a rapport so that the listener feels comfortable sharing his / her expectations
- being empathetic
- being attentive
Molding Your Knowledge To Suit The Audience
As with a public speaker, a career counselor also has to understand how to deliver knowledge in the best way. You should be able to understand:
- the audience demographic,
- background and needs,
- the expectations with which they have come to you
They help you in connecting with the audience so that the knowledge you want to impart, hits home. Eg: you have to modify the deliverance of facts and your way of talking if you are dealing with an aware, self-motivated, and self-assured student. It would be different from the way you would deal with perhaps, a nervous teenager who has predefined goals but is unsure about who to go about achieving them. Though both have approached you for career direction. That is the very essence of counseling as is the case with public speaking. A career counselor is a quintessential friend, guide, and philosopher.
Become A Master With Careerguide
The “Career Counsellor Certification Course” from CareerGuide is a 50+ hour, self-paced, lifetime access online course for career counsellor certification. This will assist in giving you curriculum with the use of many Case Studies, Scenarios, FAQs, and Quizzes. Everything you need to become a successful career counsellor is in the curriculum. This course consists of lessons that help to develop your skills and become a master career guide.
FAQ's on How Public Speaking is Important to become a Counselor
Q: Why is public speaking important for becoming a counselor?
A: Public speaking is an essential skill for becoming a counselor as it allows you to effectively communicate with clients, convey information, and inspire confidence in your abilities as a counselor.
Q: How can public speaking benefit a counselor in their profession?
A: Public speaking skills can benefit a counselor in various ways. It can help a counselor to deliver effective presentations, workshops, and seminars, which can increase their visibility and credibility in the field. It can also help them to better communicate with clients, build rapport, and motivate them to take positive actions towards their goals.
Q: What are some ways to improve public speaking skills as a counselor?
A: Some ways to improve public speaking skills as a counselor include practicing in front of a mirror or with a small group of peers, attending public speaking workshops or courses, watching and analyzing speeches by successful public speakers, and seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors.
Q: How can public speaking skills help a counselor to market their services?
A: Public speaking skills can help a counselor to effectively market their services by giving them the ability to deliver persuasive presentations and speeches that capture the attention and interest of potential clients. It can also help them to establish themselves as thought leaders in the field, which can further enhance their reputation and attract more clients.
