If you're interested in the law and helping individuals resolve their differences, but you're not interested in working as a judge or magistrate, a mediation counselor may be a good career alternative. A bachelor's degree and training are required to work as a mediator.
Description
Your duty as a mediation counselor is alternative dispute resolution. Thus, your goal is to settle legal disputes outside of court.
Features
The hearings you conduct are less formal than they would be if the parties went in front of a judge. However, they are confidential and no public records of what transpired are kept.
Significance
As a mediation counselor, you are neutral. Your responsibility is to offer suggestions and help work through the parties' problems. However, the final agreement, or resolution, is up to the parties involved.
Work Schedule
Your work schedule generally consists of 34- to 40-hour weeks. You may have to work longer if an agreement is reached and documents, such as contracts, need to be prepared.
Salary
The average salary for mediation counselors is $50,660 per year, according to May 2008 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Tags: mediation counselor