Career Counselor & Retention Specialist Full-time

Georgia Department of Revenue•Columbus, OH

About The Position

Columbus Technical College is seeking a full-time Career Counselor & Retention Specialist to advise and counsel students on career choices and help them secure employment after graduation. The role supports students with resume writing, mock interviews, and job fairs, while coordinating focused academic advising and student support services to promote persistence in their programs of study. The position works with students, employers, college departments, faculty, staff, and community agencies. It provides career and educational pathway information, monitors student attendance and academic progress, coordinates retention interventions, and uses retention data to identify barriers to student achievement. The specialist also maintains student and employer records, provides program information, prepares reports and presentations, and stays current on college programs, policies, workforce regulations, and relevant laws. Applicants must submit an online Columbus Technical College employment application and upload a resume and copies of transcripts. All references will be checked before an employment offer. Post-offer requirements include criminal background and motor vehicle records checks.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field.
Two years of related work experience in student advisement, career counseling, or community counseling services.

Nice To Haves

Three years of work experience in school or community counseling.
Experience using BANNER software.

Responsibilities

Guide students in identifying potential career choices.
Ensure students complete job search plans that comply with program guidelines and fit their occupational choices.
Refer students to specialized staff for financial aid, career advisement, admissions, business office, and other issues.
Arrange and approve employer visits to campus for recruiting or interviewing students, using a strength-based approach to assess work needs.
Arrange and support employer and student participation in situational assessments at job sites.
Show students how to find employment information in classified advertisements and at the local Department of Labor Office.
Maintain accurate, current employer contact files representing available opportunities.
Post job opportunities in accordance with employment laws, rules, and regulations.
Establish, update, and maintain student and employer files.
Conduct professional presentations and compile materials appropriate to the intended audience.
Participate in community services and activities in accordance with technical college guidelines.
Provide program information through newspaper, radio, television, and other media advertising.
Complete and distribute reports accurately, on time, and in accordance with program guidelines and department procedures.
Serve as a student advocate when appropriate.
Keep current on institutional information, including admissions requirements, programs, course changes, deadlines, costs, facilities, college-wide initiatives, transfer requirements, and state and federal mandates.
Keep current on workforce development laws and regulations and technical college policies and procedures.
Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, faculty, and staff to facilitate advising, academic progress reviews, and retention programs and services.
Provide information on targeted career and educational pathways.
Coordinate or provide supportive services that promote academic persistence and success.
Monitor student attendance, performance, and academic progress.
Coordinate services with relevant college departments and community agencies.
Solicit student feedback about career pathway programs.
Coordinate, track, report, and use retention data research and analysis, including Banner, KMS, and other resources, to identify obstacles to student achievement and retention.
Design, coordinate, and target intervention services, programs, and initiatives focused on student retention and development.
Participate as part of an early alert team supporting college persistence and retention.
Participate in opportunities to increase and share knowledge about student navigation, counseling resources and strategies, and college policies and procedures.