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School / Career Counsellor

Stable

Education

Guides students on wellbeing, study skills and career direction in schools, universities and private practices. Psychology or counselling graduates; Kaunselor Berdaftar (LKM) registration adds credibility.

PsychologyEducation

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
  2. 2Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
  3. 3Counsel individuals or groups to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
  4. 4Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
  5. 5Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation.
  6. 6Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.
  7. 7Refer students to outside counseling services.
  8. 8Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
  9. 9Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their resource needs.
  10. 10Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.
  11. 11Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics, using tests, records, interviews, or professional sources.
  12. 12Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence.
  13. 13Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
  14. 14Provide students with information on topics such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
  15. 15Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.
  16. 16Instruct individuals in career development techniques, such as job search and application strategies, resume writing, and interview skills.
  17. 17Assess needs for assistance, such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services.
  18. 18Establish and enforce administration policies and rules governing student behavior.
  19. 19Attend meetings, educational conferences, and training workshops, and serve on committees.
  20. 20Plan and promote career and employment-related programs and events, such as career planning presentations, work experience programs, job fairs, and career workshops.
  21. 21Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.
  22. 22Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences, such as starting college.
  23. 23Address community groups, faculty, and staff members to explain available counseling services.
  24. 24Supervise, train, and direct professional staff and interns.
  25. 25Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
  26. 26Provide information for teachers and staff members involved in helping students or graduates identify and pursue employment opportunities.
  27. 27Interview clients to obtain information about employment history, educational background, and career goals, and to identify barriers to employment.
  28. 28Collaborate with teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs and in the preparation of master schedules for curriculum offerings.
  29. 29Plan, direct, and participate in recruitment and enrollment activities.
  30. 30Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to assist counselees in determining and carrying out vocational and educational objectives.
  31. 31Establish contacts with employers to create internship and employment opportunities for students.
  32. 32Establish and supervise peer-counseling and peer-tutoring programs.
  33. 33Observe students during classroom and play activities to evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  34. 34Refer qualified counselees to employers or employment services for job placement.
  35. 35Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • OES
  • OWDS
  • Advisor
  • Counselor
  • Job Coach
  • Career Coach
  • Resume Writer
  • Career Advisor
  • Student Advisor
  • Academic Advisor

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BiologyDraws directly on Therapy and Counseling — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Sports ScienceDraws directly on Therapy and Counseling — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Customer and Personal Service81%
  • English Language78%

    English

  • Therapy and Counseling72%

    BiologySports Science

  • Education and Training69%
  • Psychology63%
  • Administrative62%

    Business

Skills to build

CommunicationOrganisationTeamwork

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsEvery day
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

25%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.16%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

Entry

Private
RM2,500 – RM3,500

Mid-career

Private
RM4,000 – RM6,500

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Stable

Steady, reliable demand: a consistent number of openings.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.

Add my grades

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

IPG (Teacher Training)

Become a school teacher: fully funded, with an allowance and a guaranteed posting. Apply separately through KPM after SPM.

~5 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors

Source: PayScale Malaysia · as of Jan 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:PayScale

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue