Employment Counselor - Time Limited

State of Utah Office of the Governor • Richfield, UT

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Workforce Development Division at the Utah Department of Workforce Services is hiring an Employment Counselor I at the DWS Employment Center in Richfield, Utah. The position helps individuals, families, and youth identify career and educational goals, address barriers to self-sufficiency, and obtain and maintain employment and education. Services are delivered individually or in groups and may include outreach to community partners or customer home visits. The position may be filled as an Employment Counselor II for an internal applicant, depending on qualifications.

Formal training is provided in assessments, work-readiness evaluations, department programs and standards, community resources and referrals, labor-market information, and the department’s online case-management software. Counselors document and monitor customer progress and provide individualized resources and support to help customers resolve barriers such as homelessness, disabilities, domestic violence, and substance abuse.

This is a full-time, in-office position with a time-limited schedule code. The hourly wage is $20.05, and the role is eligible for a full benefits package. Applicants must successfully pass a criminal history check.

Requirements

• Empathy and compassion, with a desire to assist customers facing difficult situations.
• Ability to communicate information clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Exceptional customer-service skills, including 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 use mentoring and coaching best practices.
• Ability to interpret and appropriately apply program policies and procedures.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information professionally and discreetly.
• Ability to defuse and resolve complaints or conflicts with angry customers in crisis.
• Successful completion of a criminal history check.

Nice To Haves

• Fluency in languages other than English is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide career, occupational, and educational counseling to help customers increase income and work toward self-sufficiency.
• Assess customers and their families to identify barriers to employment, training, income, and self-sufficiency goals, and provide resources and support to address them.
• Use motivational interviewing techniques during assessments and evaluations to gather information, support goal planning, and establish a supportive relationship.
• Develop employment plans and goals, identify activities that support work readiness and goal achievement, and monitor and evaluate customer progress.
• Use labor-market information, local resources, community-partner referrals, and employer connections to help customers meet their goals.
• Assess customer needs, explain Department of Workforce Services programs, policies, and services, and help customers access temporary assistance programs, including Food Stamps, Financial, Medicaid, Child Care, and Unemployment Insurance.
• Conduct home visits when needed to establish relationships, build rapport, solve problems, and engage or reengage customers.
• Help customers pursue employment through resume creation, networking, mock interviews, and technology-assisted job searches.
• Ensure program compliance and appropriate use of public resources.
• Apply program-specific policies, procedures, case-management techniques, career-counseling practices, and available department and community-partner resources.
• Provide employment-retention support and resources.
• Work with customers individually or in groups; some positions may include community-partner outreach.

Benefits

• Full benefits package eligibility.
• Job stability within a well-established organization.
• Career growth and opportunities to develop skills and pursue leadership within a large organization.
• Meaningful work supporting the community and organizational goals.
• Supportive work environment emphasizing cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.
• Work-life balance is described as an important part of the organization’s culture.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed