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Facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution through dialogue. Resolve conflicts outside of the court system by mutual consent of parties involved.
Critical-thinking skills. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators must apply rules of law. They must remain neutral and not let their own personal assumptions interfere with the proceedings.
Decision-making skills. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators must be able to weigh facts, apply the law or rules, and make a decision relatively quickly.
Interpersonal skills. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators deal with disputing parties and must be able to facilitate discussion in a calm and respectful way.
Listening skills. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators must pay close attention to what is being said in order for them to evaluate information.
Reading skills. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators must be able to evaluate and distinguish important facts from large amounts of complex information.
Writing skills. Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators write recommendations or decisions relating to appeals or disputes. They must be able to write their decisions clearly so that all sides understand the decision.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
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99% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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98% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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97% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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96% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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95% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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94% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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91% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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87% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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87% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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87% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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86% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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81% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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78% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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76% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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71% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. | |
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70% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
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95% | Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities. | |
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89% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
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89% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. | |
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72% | Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. | |
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72% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. | |
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67% | Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status. | |
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58% | Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
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78% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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78% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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78% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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75% | Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). | |
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75% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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75% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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75% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. | |
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69% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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69% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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60% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
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56% | Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). | |
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53% | Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
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71% | Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. | |
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70% | Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. | |
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68% | Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. | |
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68% | Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. | |
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63% | Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. | |
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63% | Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. | |
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61% | Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. | |
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59% | Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. | |
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57% | Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. | |
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54% | Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. | |
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52% | Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
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99% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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96% | Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting? | |
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91% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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90% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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79% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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73% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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70% | Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job? | |
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69% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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68% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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68% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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68% | Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures? | |
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65% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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64% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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64% | Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos? | |
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63% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? | |
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61% | Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
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96% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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94% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. | |
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83% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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78% | Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. | |
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73% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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72% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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69% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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69% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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69% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. | |
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66% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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65% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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64% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. | |
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61% | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. | |
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59% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. | |
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59% | Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. | |
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56% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators facilitate negotiation and dialogue between disputing parties to help resolve conflicts outside of the court system.
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators typically do the following:
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators help opposing parties settle disputes outside of court. They hold private, confidential hearings, which are less formal than a court trial.
Arbitrators are usually attorneys, business professionals, or retired judges with expertise in a particular field. As impartial third parties, they hear and decide disputes between opposing parties. Arbitrators may work alone or in a panel with other arbitrators. In some cases, arbitrators may decide procedural issues, such as what evidence may be submitted and when hearings will be held.
Arbitration may be required by law for some claims and disputes. When it is not required, the parties in dispute sometimes voluntarily agree to arbitration rather than proceed with litigation or a trial. In some cases, parties may appeal the arbitrator’s decision.
Mediators are neutral parties who help people resolve their disputes. However, unlike arbitrators, they do not render binding decisions. Rather, mediators help facilitate discussion and guide the parties toward a mutually acceptable agreement. If the opposing sides cannot reach a settlement with the mediator’s help, they are free to pursue other options.
Conciliators are similar to mediators. Although their role is to help guide opposing sides to a settlement, they typically meet with the parties separately. The opposing sides must decide in advance if they will be bound by the conciliator’s recommendations.
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators held about 9,100 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators were as follows:
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 14% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 13 |
| Self-employed workers | 11 |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 8 |
| Other professional, scientific, and technical services | 7 |
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators usually work in private offices or meeting rooms. They may travel to a neutral site chosen for negotiations.
The work may be stressful because arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators sometimes work with difficult or confrontational individuals or with highly charged and emotional situations, such as injury settlements or family disputes.
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators typically need at least a bachelor's degree at the entry level. They learn their skills through a combination of education, training, and work experience.
Few candidates for these jobs receive a degree specific to the field of arbitration, mediation, or conflict resolution. Rather, many positions require education appropriate to the applicant’s field of expertise. A bachelor’s degree is often sufficient, but some positions require candidates to have a law degree, a master’s in business administration, or another type of advanced degree.
Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators are usually lawyers, retired judges, or business professionals with expertise in a particular field, such as construction, finance, or insurance. They need to have knowledge of that industry and be able to relate well to people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Mediators typically work under the supervision of an experienced mediator for a certain number of cases before working independently.
Training for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators is available through independent mediation programs, national and local mediation membership organizations, and postsecondary schools. Training is also available by volunteering at a community mediation center.
There is no national license for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators. However, some states require arbitrators and mediators to become certified to work on certain types of cases. Qualifications, standards, and the number of training hours required vary by state or by court. Most states require mediators to complete 20 to 40 hours of training courses to become certified. Some states require additional hours of training in a specialty area.
Some states require licenses appropriate to the applicant’s field of expertise. For example, some courts may require applicants to be licensed attorneys or certified public accountants.
Employment of arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 400 openings for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The alternative methods of resolving disputes that these workers provide often are quicker and less expensive than trials and litigation. In addition, many contracts, such as those for employment and real estate, include clauses requiring mediation or arbitration to resolve complaints and disputes. These factors should help to support demand for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators.
However, because alternative dispute resolution in government is contingent on available funds, state and local government budgets may affect public sector employment of arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators.
For more information about arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators, visit
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Judges and Hearing Officers |
Judges and hearing officers apply the law by overseeing the legal process in courts. |
Doctoral or professional degree | $128,610 |
|
Lawyers |
Lawyers advise and represent clients on legal proceedings or transactions. |
Doctoral or professional degree | $135,740 |
|
Paralegals and Legal Assistants |
Paralegals and legal assistants perform a variety of tasks to support lawyers. |
Associate's degree | $59,200 |
|
Private Detectives and Investigators |
Private detectives and investigators search for information about legal, financial, and personal matters. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $52,120 |