Center for Career Development
Students & Alumni -- Child Life Career Resources
CHILD LIFE JOB MARKET
Employment opportunities for child life majors exist in
a variety of health care settings throughout the United States and Canada.
Jobs in traditional Child Life settings such as hospitals are limited.
However, graduates of the Wheelock Child Life programs regularly find work
in traditional settings, as well as in other health care settings where child
life knowledge and skills may be applied. Opportunities for successful
child life job searches are maximized for those who are willing to relocate
and are flexible about the precise nature of their work.
You may be curious about the starting range, average, or long-term salary
potential of child life specialists. Salaries are influenced by numerous
factors:
- Region of the country
- Position (i.e. entry level, experienced child life specialist, program director)
- Number of years of experience in the field
- Education level (bachelor's degree or master's degree)
- Certification status (e.g. CCLS)
- Size of the child life program
JOB SEARCH RESOURCES
Below is a list of resources that may be helpful to you in your job search: >
- Membership in the Child Life Council and participation in regional, national, and international chapters create valuable networking opportunities. For a directory of chapters, visit www.childlife.org.
- There are occasional networking opportunities for child life professionals on campus or in the community. The child life faculty will inform you of these events as they occur.
- Targeted Web sites, including hospital-specific
Web sites provide valuable job listings. You may want to explore the following
sites:
Health Careers Online
http://www.healthcareers-online.com/Hospital Web
http://neurowww.mgh.harvard.edu/hospitalweb.htmlMedSearch
http://www.medsearch.com/U.S. Hospitals
http://www.hospitaldirectory.com
CHILD LIFE CERTIFICATION
Child Life Specialists are encouraged to take the Child Life Certification Exam. Your certification will allow you to practice in every state as well as internationally.Successful completion of the 150 item four-option, multiple choice exam leads to CCLS (Certified Child Life Specialist) certification. Upon satisfactory completion of the exam, you may include these initials after your name. Helpful Hint: The acronym is not punctuated with periods.
The Child Life Council publishes a Candidate Manual, which includes detailed information about the exam, including eligibility requirements, the application process, and fees. To obtain a copy of the manual, visit the Child Life Council web site at www.childlife.org or request a copy by phone at (301) 881-7090 OR (800)CLC-4515. A copy of the manual is also available in the Center for Career Development.
ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION
Child Life majors who plan to seek employment in Massachusetts may also apply for and receive Office of Child Care Services (OCCS) certification. OCCS certification expands your career options to include employment in public and private childcare and education settings. For additional information, contact:
Office of Child Care Services
(617) 626-2000
www.qualitychildcare.org
Contact Center for Career Development
Mailing Address:
Center for Career Development
Wheelock College
200 the Riverway
Boston, MA 02215
