Credit Counselors

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Maintain or update records of client account activity, including financial transactions, counseling session notes, correspondence, document images, or client inquiries.
• Disburse funds from client accounts to creditors.
• Explain loan information to clients, such as available loan types, eligibility requirements, or loan restrictions.
• Explain general financial topics to clients, such as credit report ratings, bankruptcy laws, consumer protection laws, wage attachments, or collection actions.
• Assess clients' overall financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information.
• Refer clients to social service or community resources for needs beyond those of credit or debt counseling.
• Conduct research to help clients avoid repossessions or foreclosures or remove levies or wage garnishments.
• Advise clients on housing matters, such as housing rental, homeownership, mortgage delinquency, or foreclosure prevention.
• Create debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets to assist clients to meet financial goals.
• Prepare written documents to establish contracts with or communicate financial recommendations to clients.
• Interview clients by telephone or in person to gather financial information.
• Create action plans to assist clients in obtaining permanent housing via rent or mortgage programs.
• Advise clients or respond to inquiries about financial matters in person or via phone, email, Web site, or Internet chat.
• Advise clients or respond to inquiries about financial matters in person or via phone, email, Web site, or Internet chat.
• Calculate clients' available monthly income to meet debt obligations.
• Explain services or policies to clients, such as debt management program rules, advantages and disadvantages of using services, or creditor concession policies.
• Estimate time for debt repayment, given amount of debt, interest rates, and available funds.
• Prioritize client debt repayment to avoid dire consequences, such as bankruptcy or foreclosure or to reduce overall costs, such as by paying high-interest or short-term loans first.
• Recommend educational materials or resources to clients on matters, such as financial planning, budgeting, or credit.
• Recommend strategies for clients to meet their financial goals, such as borrowing money through loans or loan programs, declaring bankruptcy, making budget adjustments, or enrolling in debt management plans.
• Teach courses or seminars on topics, such as budgeting, management of personal finances, or financial literacy.
• Review changes to financial, family, or employment situations to determine whether changes to existing debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets are needed.
• Negotiate with creditors on behalf of clients to arrange for payment adjustments, interest rate reductions, time extensions, or payment plans.
• Investigate missing checks, payment histories, held funds, returned checks, or other related issues to resolve client or creditor problems.

Skills

• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.

Abilities

• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.

Knowledge

• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Public Safety and Security
  • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Education

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

×

Education and Training Opportunities

• Central Washington University
  400 East University Way, Ellensburg WA 98926
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  10,000 - 19,999

  Financial Aid 509-963-1111
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.cwu.edu/
  Program Name
  Financial Planning and Services
  Length
  4 years
  Award Level
  Bachelor's degree
  Save

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• Skagit Valley College
  2405 E. College Way, Mount Vernon WA 98273
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 360-416-7600
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://www.skagit.edu/
  Program Name
  Banking and Financial Support Services
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree
  Save

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• Whatcom Community College
  237 W Kellogg Rd, Bellingham WA 98226
  School Type

  Public, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 360-383-3000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,No graduate offering
  Website

  http://whatcom.edu/
  Program Name
  Banking and Financial Support Services
  Length
  2 years
  Award Level
  Associate's degree, Certificates of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 year
  Save

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• Whitworth University
  300 W Hawthorne Rd, Spokane WA 99251
  School Type

  Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above

  Admissions
  School Size

  1,000 - 4,999

  Financial Aid 509-777-1000
  Other Degrees Offered

  Undergraduate degree or certificate offering,Graduate degree or certificate offering
  Website

  http://www.whitworth.edu/
  Program Name
  Financial Planning and Services
  Length
  More than 4 years
  Award Level
  Master's degree
  Save

  ---

Close

Pay

Washington Annual Salary

61170/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

29.41/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

440

Yearly Projected Openings

40

Personality

Conventional: People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines. They do well at jobs that need:

• Integrity
• Dependability
• Concern for Others
• Attention to Detail
• Self Control
• Cooperation

Tools

• Inkjet printers
• Laser fax machine
• Laser printers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers
• Scientific calculator
• Special purpose telephones

Technology

• Data base user interface and query software
• Electronic mail software
• Enterprise resource planning ERP software
• Financial analysis software
• Information retrieval or search software
• Internet browser software
• Network conferencing software
• Office suite software
• Presentation software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software