1. Do you like your job? Yes it is great to work at the school where my girls go, my job is interesting and the hours are good. I really enjoy my job and working with students and their parents.
2. What education does your position require? A masters degree
3. Are there a lot of job opportunities? With 3 school districts and several charter schools close by I believe there is opportunity available. I know for a time I kept hearing the market for counselors was saturated but everyone I know that has wanted a job has been able to get one.
4. What is the pay like? Starting pay in the ASD for a counselor with a master’s degree without previous years of teaching would be around $33,500.
5. How does your job work with having a family? I really like being on the same holiday schedule as my kids. It really helped a lot when they were younger and it is nice to be off in the summer.
6. Do you work as much as the teachers at your school do? Counselors are on an extended contract but it isn't much more than teachers...mine is 10 days so I work 10 more days than the teachers at my school do.
7. Can I do anything with a Bachelors degree in this field? Usually you can't do much with a degree in psychology. I don't know what additional classes it would take to teach. You could look into the justice system and see if there are any jobs that a psych degree would qualify you for.
8. Do you get many interns from UVU? UVU doesn't have an educational counseling program and most of our interns come from Utah State (they have an extension), the U, or the University of Phoenix.
This interview was a great opportunity for me to talk to someone who works in my field, I learned a lot from the questions I asked, and will probably continue to ask more questions as I get further in my education. I have a lot of questions I want answers to, since I am getting close to jumping into the job market. It was good to hear how it really is on the inside. She is a great contact to have on my list, and answered all my questions very well.
To prepare I sat down and thought about the questions that were most important to me to know at this point in my career preparation. I learned that this is a great way to get accurate information on different positions; I will for sure use this process again. I will be sure to send a thank you note for her time, it is very much appreciated.