Career Counselor

Serrato Corporation • McKinney, TX

4d

About The Position

The Career Counselor delivers counseling services to assigned residential and non-residential students in personal and social development, career employment, and behavior. The role provides individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and ongoing support throughout students’ enrollment and career transition. It also collaborates with center staff and community resources to support student progress, achievement, and successful program completion.

The counselor contacts students before arrival, welcomes and orients them, meets assigned arrivals, conducts intake assessments, and provides scheduled individual and group counseling. The role monitors student needs and progress, documents counseling and interventions, maintains and updates Personal Career Development Plans (PCDPs), coordinates referrals and support services, and ensures appropriate privacy safeguards. Counseling services must be available on weekends and during emergencies. Additional duties may be assigned.

Requirements

• One year of experience in counseling or a related field.
• Bachelor's degree, including 15 semester hours of social-services-related instruction.
• Valid state driver's license.
• Proficiency with advanced Microsoft Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel.
• Computer literacy in basic computer functions, email, internet, and basic programs such as Adobe Acrobat.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Ability to motivate, inspire, and counsel students effectively.
• Knowledge of career planning, job-search strategies, and interview preparation.
• Ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Responsibilities

• Contact assigned students before arrival to welcome them, explain center information, and review behavioral standards and expectations using the center script.
• Meet and greet assigned students at the designated time at the center or an assigned travel termination point.
• Provide ongoing intensive interventions for students accumulating NIRs or unexcused absences, and document interventions in case notes.
• Conduct and document an intake assessment, including student history, within the first 24 hours of enrollment; submit a copy to the Health and Wellness center for review and inclusion in the student health record.
• Provide structured, scheduled, documented individual social development and adjustment counseling weekly during CPP (the first 60 days) and monthly thereafter, documenting sessions in case notes.
• Schedule and conduct monthly group support sessions addressing issues such as abuse, relationships, child care, homesickness, and language or cultural barriers.
• Ensure each assigned student attends a group or enhancement program.
• Collaborate with staff and contact CPP students weekly during their first 60 days; help students establish personal and career goals and reduce early separations before 90 days.
• Provide positive interventions for individuals and groups of students performing positively, including on-center and off-center activities and interactions.
• Manage and monitor the caseload through frequent CTT and academic classroom visits to observe students and interact with staff.
• Collaborate with residential, recreation, career transition, and instructional staff to case-manage student progress, concerns, achievements, and PCDP goals.
• Identify students needing more intensive services and refer them appropriately; implement and document strategies addressing personal issues, including mental health, medical issues, and English language learning needs.
• Document individual counseling sessions in case notes using the RAP format: reason for the session, assessment, and plan of action with appropriate follow-up.
• Complete documentation on the same day as contact, keeping exceptions to a minimum.
• Document positive and negative interventions appropriately in case notes or counseling files, as applicable.
• Safeguard student personal information subject to the Privacy Act and advise students about privacy protections.
• Collaborate with each student to initiate a PCDP documenting personal career goals, training needs, challenges, progress, and accomplishments during enrollment and the post-center Career Transition Period.
• Update and maintain each student's PCDP in the Job Corps automated system in cooperation with appropriate staff, at least at each regularly scheduled progress evaluation; provide students copies whenever plans change and at separation.
• Ensure counseling services are available on weekends and during emergencies.
• Provide support services, including assisting with UA retrieval; conferring with parents, admissions counselors, career transition specialists, and social service agencies; and referring students to community resources as appropriate.
• Stay current on industry certifications offered and their requirements.
• Share information and collaborate with departments and community resources as needed and in accordance with student privacy and disclosure rights to coordinate services and support training-program requirements.
• Ensure each student participates in ongoing evaluations with appropriate staff at least every 60 days.
• Provide students with individualized project and activity schedules to address Career Success Standards rated Needs Improvement on the CS-SET or ESP.
• Participate in Career Management Team (CMT) panels when students are recommended for transition into CPD and CTR/CTS; ensure PCDPs are updated, resumes uploaded, transitional needs assessments completed, referrals made, and job-search strategies recorded in PCDPs.
• Conduct and document UA retrieval efforts in CIS and forward UA occurrence documentation to student records; assist students, at their request and expense, with arranging return transportation.
• Monitor, encourage, support, and enforce center attendance rules.
• Assist students in requesting and obtaining approval for leaves and passes, and safeguard minor students according to limitations established by parents or guardians.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Paid short-term and long-term disability and basic life insurance.
• Health care insurance available, including medical, dental, vision, critical illness, accident, HSA, and FSA.
• Paid holidays.
• Paid time off.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee assistance counseling service programs available.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level