Healthcare is a critical sector because of the obvious advantages it brings to us all and because it employs millions of people. Many roles in the industry provide rewarding careers, including mental health counseling. It is a specialism that enables mental health counselors to help people struggling with mental health issues recover and live a happier and more fulfilling life.
Qualifications
If you are considering a doctoral degree in counseling, some research is necessary. An in-depth look into what this type of healthcare role entails will reveal that having high-quality education and training in the subject is essential. The online Doctorate in Education (EdD) in Mental Health Counseling from American International College is a popular choice as it fully prepares you to work in mental health counseling.
Specific mental health qualifications give you the formal training to work legitimately in this industry, and they are also a way to differentiate you from other applicants when you submit job applications. Therefore, it is vital to prepare a full resume when applying for posts in the sector, giving full details of your qualifications in the subject and expressing your enthusiasm for the work.
In addition, you should also include your complete academic history and details of any accomplishments of which you are proud. That allows potential employers to assess your journey in education and can play a part if you and another candidate are hard to choose between.
Soft skills are also vital for mental health resumes
There are things any healthcare resume should include. While formal qualifications show the level you can work academically, soft skills should also be mentioned because they illustrate a positive side to your personality.
Soft skills are crucial when working in mental health counseling and are something a potential employer will be keen to know about. For example, counselors must have considerable empathy to connect with patients, excellent communication skills to provide counseling and guidance, and good organizational skills to stay afloat in a very active role. Showing these soft skills on your resume presents a more rounded view of yourself and will help you stand out from other candidates.
Include a professional summary and professional experience details
Just as money-saving tips for managers in healthcare can help them stay on top of budgets, tips for building a better resume for mental health counselors help them succeed in their chosen roles.
Any resume must include a well-written professional summary. That part of the resume helps employers learn more about you as a mental health professional and introduces you as a candidate. The summary should be at the top of your resume, just below your personal details. Although it is essential to include all relevant professional information, limiting this summary to one or two paragraphs is best.
In addition to a well-written professional summary, you should include work experience details. This section should be just below your professional summary and allows employers to see immediately the relevant work experience you have. Employers value this because they can see if you have any relevant professional experience in previous roles to call upon.
But what if you have only just qualified to work in this type of role and don’t have any professional experience to list? A good tip is showing other ways you may have been involved with mental health work. Volunteering is a great example.
Showing how you have real-world experience in the mental health sector in any way is an advantage. Even if you have previous professional experience to include, volunteering adds another dimension to your resume and indicates to employers that you are fully committed to this kind of work.
Focus on design
Building a resume that stands out for all the right reasons is critical for people working in mental health counseling. Potential employers need to know why you think you are the best person for the role, so creating a good first impression is vital.
It is also worth taking some time to think about your resume’s overall design. It can affect how employers regard it, what impression they form of you from the document, and how likely it is you will be called for an interview.
As this is a serious industry to work in, make sure your resume looks professional and sets the right tone. Do not use fonts that are too informal or text colors that give an unprofessional feel. It is also crucial to consider the words you use carefully and to compose your resume in a professional manner.
Another good tip in terms of general design is to keep your resume uncluttered and as brief as possible. That makes it easier to read, and it is more likely that employers will read all of it. Finally, proofread and spell-check for mistakes, and you should end up with a fantastic resume.
Craft a resume to help you stand out in mental health counseling
With around 110,000 mental health counselors in the US currently, it is clear what a competitive field this is. When you look more deeply into this career, it also becomes clear what a bright outlook this sector has and how rewarding a role it can be. To break into this career, you will need the relevant qualifications, and when applying for a position, an eye-catching resume that showcases your best abilities to employers is vital.
