Before you can apply for jobs as a credit agent or counselor, you will first need to check out the NFCC website for information on joining the certified credit counseling training program that they have. You really must have your certification in order to even think seriously about getting jobs as a credit agent or counselor.
Another thing you might want to do is to check out a community college near you and see what it would take to simply take some accounting classes. This will be additional training that can really come in handy once you are active in the field. Consider enrolling in a mentoring course in order to gain additional skills that will come in handy as well. The more classes you take, the better prepared you will be to help those who need a counselor find a way out of their financial mess.
If you have a schedule that will make attending classes at a local community college a little difficult, you may want to see about online courses. There are many courses that you can take online that are just as good as if you were taking a class at the college itself. And the best part about it is that you can work and study on your own time and you still get the education that is acknowledged by the credit counseling field. Just make sure that you are signing up through an online school that is accredited.
Even though it may seem as though anyone can be the counselor that these people need, it takes a certain amount of skill and knowledge to do the job right. You have to make sure that you realize that you basically hold your client's financial stability and future in your hands. One big mistake and you could set them up for ultimate failure to where they would have been better off without you. This is why it is so important to make sure that you are getting as much education as possible.
You will also want to make sure that you are contacting the Credit Counselor Association in order to apply for a license with them. This will help you when you set out looking for counselor jobs. It is also a good idea to think about furthering your education. While it is not required, many people find that having an undergraduate degree is a major step in making sure that they have their pick out of all of the jobs out there. This is something you could do now or you can wait until you have already found employment and work on your degree in order to gain promotions.
When you are looking for jobs, make sure that you are looking online in order to find openings for the larger credit counseling companies or agencies. You can also look in your local paper but while you may find some leads, those leads are going to be limited. Also make sure that you are spreading the word that you are looking for a certain type of employment. You just never know who has a connection or two that could land you the job of your dreams.
As you can see, becoming a credit agent or counselor really is not all that hard. But there are a few steps that cannot be over looked. When you make sure to take the time to get all of the certifications and experience that you need, you will have no problem finding yourself in one of the jobs that you apply for. Since this is most certainly a growing field, you will be able to advance and earn a higher salary if you really put your mind to it.
