Work title

My worktitle in Swedish is simple. It's Studie- och yrkesvägledare,

Long but shouldn't be that hard to say, right?

In Sweden we changed our work title for more than a few years back, but in the common tongue, people still don't know what to call us. Most use different titles and different varieties of them, even at my two small schools. For the most of the time I actually correct those who use the wrong title, and is met with gratitude, but just a little later I have to correct again. So, we Studie- och yrkesvägledare, are still working with this.

I find it even harder in the English language.

We have the word for Counselor in our title; vägledare, and would I translate it straight of it would be somewhat in the lines of Educational and vocational counselor. Though it's as long as the Swedish word for it...

I could also use Guidance counselor, but on the other hand, I know that for example USA made a change from Guidance counselor to School counselor, so that wouldn't just feel right.

I don't do all the assignments the school counselor do, but a big part of them. I have a Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Study and Career Guidance, and did studies topics like Career guidance, Society, work and education organization.


Up till December this year I called my self School Counselor. But this was wrong, because to mess it up a little further: we have another profession in Sweden connected to the counselor job; the Kurator, with focus on social work like the School Counselor. This person have more knowledge of psychosocial conditions, home-conditions and the social work our students connect to.

For me, it means I have to cooperate with the Kurator to meet the whole child/student. This is why I've chosen to work side by side with the student health team and have a lot of meetings with the team, to be a part of the students every day issues at our schools.


And now use the tile Career Counselor, even though I work at an Elementary School level.