Employment Counselor

State of Utah•Lehi, UT

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Employment Counselor delivers services to case-managed customers, unemployed and underemployed job seekers, the general public, and their families. The role helps customers address barriers and build skills so they can obtain and maintain employment and pursue education leading to self-sufficiency. Barriers may include homelessness, mental or physical disabilities, domestic violence, and substance abuse. Services are tailored to individual and family needs and may be provided one-on-one or in groups. Some positions include outreach to community partners or customer home visits. Employment Counselors provide career, occupational, and educational counseling; assess customers and families; use motivational interviewing; develop and monitor employment plans; and connect customers with labor-market information, local resources, community partners, and employers. They also explain and help customers access Division of Workforce Services programs, support career planning and job searching, ensure program compliance, and provide employment-retention support. The position is based in the Mountainland Service Area and may be located at the Lehi, Provo, or Spanish Fork Employment Centers.

Requirements

Empathy and compassion for customers in difficult situations.
Ability to communicate information clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.
Exceptional customer-service skills, with sensitivity, tact, professionalism, and impartiality.
Interpersonal skills, including active listening, building trusting relationships, mutual respect, and mindfulness of others.
Ability to balance program policies with compassion.
After formal training, ability to provide family-focused career counseling and proactively engage and motivate customers.
After formal training, ability to conduct interviews and assessments using motivational interviewing techniques.
Problem-solving skills and ability to identify creative solutions.
Ability to apply mentoring and coaching best practices.
Ability to interpret and appropriately apply program policies and procedures.
Ability to maintain and manage sensitive and confidential information professionally and discreetly.
Ability to defuse and resolve complaints or conflicts with customers who are angry or in crisis.
Must successfully pass a criminal history check.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in languages other than English may receive preference.

Responsibilities

Provide career, occupational, and educational counseling to help customers increase income and pursue self-sufficiency.
Assess customers and their families to identify barriers and determine resources and support needed to achieve self-sufficiency, employment, training, and income goals.
Use motivational interviewing techniques during assessments and evaluations to gather information, support goal planning, and help resolve barriers.
Develop employment plans and goals, identify activities that support work readiness and goal achievement, and monitor and evaluate progress.
Use labor-market information and local resources, and refer customers to community partners and employers.
Assess customer needs, explain DWS programs, policies, and services, and help customers access temporary assistance programs, including Food Stamps, Financial, Medicaid, Child Care, and Unemployment Insurance.
Provide career coaching, including help with résumé creation, networking, mock interviews, and technology-assisted job searching.
Ensure program compliance and appropriate use of public resources.
Apply program-specific policies and procedures, case-management techniques, career counseling practices, and knowledge of Division and community-partner resources.
Provide employment-retention support and resources.
In some positions, conduct community-partner outreach and/or customer home visits.