Position Summary:Career Counselors provide career counseling and advising services to undergraduate, certificate, graduate, and professional students, as well as alumni up to one year after graduation in designated departments, schools and industries/professions. The primary components of this role include direct advising, program development and delivery, teaching for-credit career development courses, collaborating with faculty, staff, community organizations and employers, along with administrative duties. Career Counselors educate students on the career development process and opportunities that exist (internships and experiential learning, jobs, graduate school), and serve as a resource within the team, proactively increasing advising team knowledge on their assigned industries and areas of specialization for effective cross-training. They are responsible for being both resourceful specialists and generalists in the field of career development, understanding and building relationships with a variety of student services and academic departments across campus, addressing any issues or service gaps through innovation and relationship development, and providing mentorship and training to student staff at the graduate and undergraduate level within the VCU Career Services team.
This specific Career Counselor role will focus on Media, Communications, and Education, including working with students across majors and serving as a liaison to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program within University College, and to the Robertson School of Media & Culture, School of Education, and Department of English within the College of Humanities & Sciences. Experience working with and/or advising on these industry areas, and working with students interested in these fields, is highly desirable. This position will report directly to the Assistant Director of Public Service and Social Impact on the VCU Career Services Advising Team.
Members of the VCU Career Services team also regularly engage in professional development, including in-house and external training and conference opportunities, to make sure we are able to best serve students and alumni, to stay current with industry standards and changes, to revise program and services to reflect trends, and to increase our office’s visibility, both at VCU and on a broader scale.
Team Diversity Statement: At VCU Career Services, we affirm and celebrate the diversity of the VCU community. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all are welcomed, respected, and supported as they contribute their unique and important ideas, skills, and perspectives to the world. We actively promote and are deeply invested in the work of diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, multicultural competence, and constant learning. As a team of individuals representing a diverse set of intersecting identities, we will continue to advocate and make positive change that helps open new doors to professional connections for VCU students, alumni, employer partners, and community members. Our staff is dedicated to providing equitable access to services and resources for VCU students and alumni as they consider career options, engage in experiential learning, apply for employment and volunteer positions, and pursue graduate/professional education.
Core Responsibilities:Career Counseling/Advising (50%):
- Advise undergraduate students, graduate/professional students and recent graduates in individual and small-group settings about exploring career and education options and developing effective experiential learning, job search, and graduate and professional school search strategies.
- Assist students in exploring career options and identifying sources of experiential education to further learn about their careers and industries of interests and to develop necessary skills/knowledge.
- Educate students on how to research employers, network, and engage in the internship/job search process using current technology.
- Maintain awareness of industry/market trends and to engage students in employer/alumni programming.
- Administer and interpret assessment instruments to assist students and alumni with self-appraisal. Conduct periodic evaluations of career development tools as necessary.
- Develop, contribute, and update career exploration and development information on the website; utilize technology and resources in the delivery of service to students
Teaching and Program Development/Delivery (25%):
- Teach and/or help facilitate for-credit career development-related courses (live or online) annually.
- Create and present workshops, programs, and outreach sessions on a variety of career topics to educate and prepare students for the world of work.
- Work with key stakeholders (e.g., faculty, staff, students, campus partners) to design, prepare and deliver career/industry and employment specific events and workshops that facilitate student learning and skill development.
- Represent VCU and Career Services in local and national professional associations and conferences in order to stay current with industry standards and changes, revise programs to reflect trends, and increase the center’s visibility among professionals in the field.
Relationship Management and Campus Collaboration (10%):
- Build and strengthen relationships with external and internal stakeholders, including faculty/staff, employers, and other campus units.
- Serve as VCU Career Services liaison to designated academic departments and university departments to assess and meet the needs of our academic stakeholders and to promote collaboration across departments and majors by focusing on industry-specific programming.
- Serve as VCU Career Services internal expert on assigned industries. Devise and implement strategy in conjunction with employer & experiential development team for assigned areas with the goal of preparing students to enter those fields.
- Engage and involve alumni and industry professionals to participate in programs/events, as well as to learn industry content information relevant to student preparation, in partnership with employer & experiential development team
- Participate in various campus events involving prospective students, alumni, and families to engage those stakeholders in our services and programs. Participate in departmental, division, and/or university committees to represent VCU Career Services as assigned.
Leadership and Strategic Initiatives (15%):
- Play an active role in the collection and reporting of assessment data that serves as a driver for strategic decisions within VCU Career Services.
- Contribute actively to the development, adaptation, and implementation of the VCU Career Services Strategic Plan through collaboration and project work.
- Respond to and/or refer appropriately based on direct outreach from prospective and current students, families, employers, faculty, and staff.
- Perform other duties to support team operations and strategic plan, as assigned.
Minimum Hiring Standards:- Master’s degree (completed by the position start date) with emphasis on counseling, student affairs, education, or related field.
- One year of experience in higher education, recruitment, or related field; relevant graduate assistantships and internships will be considered.
- Ability to advise college students and/or young professionals on career-related topics.
- Exceptional communication (written, oral, presentation) skills.
- Demonstrated proficiency in designing and delivering presentations.
- Ability and interest to teach undergraduate courses focused on career development and student success.
- Ability to embrace change and to organize and effectively manage multiple priorities, programs, and projects.
- Ability to collaborate cross-functionally in the office environment and to interface with employers, students, alumni, faculty, and university administrators.
- Ability to use independent judgment and resourcefulness to identify options and develop solutions for unique or unprecedented situations.
- Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
Preferred Qualifications:- More than one year of experience in higher education, recruitment, or related field; relevant graduate assistantships and internships would be considered.
- Experience advising college students and/or young professionals on career-related topics, ideally to populations interested in pursuing careers in media, communications, marketing, or related fields.
- Ability to use relevant database systems, (e.g. Handshake, Symplicity, Microsoft Excel)
- Experience teaching undergraduate courses.
- Willingness to contribute to outcomes assessment and evaluation strategies.
- Project management experience.
- Understanding and use of career development theories.
- Awareness of trends within higher education, career services, student services, and the employment marketplace.
- Demonstrated proficiency in using career assessment instruments (e.g., MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, CliftonStrengths/StrengthsQuest)
- Experience working at VCU or a similar institution (public, urban, and research-focused, with a large number of first-generation, transfer, and non-residential students).
Other Position Details: This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement with up to 40% weekly telework, but this standard could change in the future depending on Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Success (SEMSS) Division priorities and campus policy.
Position Number: FA8710
Position Title: Career Counselor, Media, Communications, and Education
Department: 1918 VCU Career Services
Role Code: 35221 Specialist SS 1
Position Type: Exempt
Salary: $43,000
ORP Eligible?: No
Open Date: 7/13/23
Close Date: 7/31/23