Assistant Director, Career Counseling
Career Development Center
Summary
The Career Development Center at Occidental College is embarking on phase two of a multi-year
strategic plan to establish itself as a national leader of career services among small, liberal arts
institutions. The plan continues with a million dollar plus campaign to open the new Center for
Graduate Success (CGS) which will house the centers for Career Development, Pre-Health Advising and
National Awards. The Center for Career Development’s (currently the Career Development Center)
strategic plan focuses on growing professional positions, expanding our robust, donor-funded internship
program and delivering career services through an innovative, class-based model.
Under the supervision of the Career Development Center Director, Occidental College seeks an Assistant
Director professional to become part of a team committed to developing thoughtful, global leaders in
the workforce. To learn more about our center and our institution, please view our website at
http://departments.oxy.edu/career/
Successful candidates will have the following required qualifications:
Education
Master’s degree with preferred academic preparation in counseling, career development, college
student personnel or related field.
Experience
Five to eight years of related job experience; at least four years experience in career development
preferably in a college or university setting.
Job Responsibilities
The Assistant Director For Career Counseling will lead the department in the development and design of
a class-based plan for first-year, sophomores, juniors and seniors with an immediate focus on executing
the Sophomore Success Program with a Career Counselor co-lead and managing the newly launched
Work Study Training Program (WSTP) focused on training for first-year, low-income students seeking oncampus employment. Furthermore, with the inclusion of the Departments of Pre-Health Advising and
National Awards, the new Assistant Director for Career Counseling will work closely with the Director to
identify ways new career counselors can gain cross-functional expertise to support these departments.
Therefore, familiarity with Pre-Health Advising and National Awards such as the Fulbright, Marshall,
Mitchell, CORO, Capital Fellows Fellowship, is highly welcome.
Additional key responsibilities include providing counseling for students on an individual and group basis
to examine their values and interests and help facilitate decision-making; give students guidance and
information regarding occupational choices, goal setting, career research, and the job and graduate
school search process; lead in the design and delivery of customized workshops and programs which
prepare students for occupational exploration and job search, and devise career curriculum for newly
developing campus-wide initiatives. Depending on skills, interest and abilities, this professional may
become the institution’s pre-law and pre-MBA advisors and train and mentor graduate assistants and/or
entry-level career counselors recruited into the department.
Job Qualifications
CLASS-YEAR MODEL DESIGN
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Familiar with the career development process and the distinct needs, ambitions and concerns
that present based on class-year
Demonstrated innovation and strategic planning and/or thinking about how to organize a suite
of workshops, programs and needs into a class-based program
Prior experience in a career center that organizes program delivery based on a class-year model
is a plus
CAREER COUNSELING
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Possess proven successful record of career counseling in a small, private, academically rigorous,
liberal arts, college; adroit at counseling traditional-aged students; experience working with new
graduates zero – three years out
Expert at current trends in career development
Highly conversant in career counseling assessment administration and interpretation of
instruments to determine values, interests, skills and personal preferences with individuals and
groups (StrengthsQuest, Strong Interest Inventory, Knowdell’s Career Values Card Sorts)
Expert at delivering student guidance and information regarding occupational choices, goal
setting, career research, and the job search process for full-time, part-time, and summer jobs as
well as internships
Advanced skill in graduate school advising: document and test preparation and selecting and
applying to schools of interest; experience in pre-law or pre-MBA advising a strong plus
Conduct mock interviews for graduate/professional schools as well as employment
OUTREACH/PROGRAMMING
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Advanced in career programming germane to a liberal arts setting; effective in outreach efforts
targeting under-represented groups
Proven track record establishing effective working relationships with faculty and administrators;
experience serving on faculty committees a plus
Experience running student-led advisory boards
Lead on delivery of StrengthsQuest workshops to students, student groups and professional
departments
Lead in conducting group counseling workshop for junior and senior class seminars
Skilled at devising brochures, literature, career monographs and educational tools via print and
media
Knowledgeable of educational, “bridge” programs that prepare students to be work-force ready
Familiar with national awards and pre-health professions or possess exposure to students who
seek these opportunities
LEADERSHIP
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Will work with the Career Coordinator to manage student workers and strive to develop paraprofessional training for up to six student worker hires
Assess the quality and effectiveness of program delivery
Support the Director in Strategic Planning initiatives
Depending on experience may manage graduate students and entry-level career counselor staff
Additional Qualities
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Record of innovative and creative program design
Outstanding written and oral communication, interpersonal, organizational, and presentation
skills
Should have an understanding of the entry-level job market, and the use of electronic resources
in the career exploration and job search process for traditional-aged students
Comfort and skill in using technology including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and the
Internet
An ability to work in a small, fast-paced, and team environment, demonstrating initiative and
dependability
To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to: resumes@oxy.edu