Employment Services Counselor I/II

County of Riverside • Temecula, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health is recruiting an Employment Services Counselor I/II for its Community Service Center. The role engages directly with job-seeking participants and community employers to facilitate successful employment opportunities. Duties include developing job leads through cold calls, job fairs, employer outreach, and community partnerships, and explaining program benefits and requirements. The counselor interviews participants to assess their interests, skills, education, and employment barriers, then provides individualized counseling, job-readiness coaching, and guidance on training or alternative employment pathways. The position also develops tailored employment plans, arranges supportive services, monitors progress, and follows up after placement to support long-term employment success. Face-to-face work with participants is essential. Experience with ELMR is preferred for documenting services and maintaining participant records. The hiring level, I or II, depends on candidate qualifications and department discretion.

The position follows an in-office 9/80 schedule: Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and every other Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health serves more than 45,000 individuals annually and provides culturally competent, evidence-based mental health and substance use services across all ages.

Requirements

• Employment Services Counselor I qualification option: One year of experience comparable to an Employment Services Technician with Riverside County.
• Employment Services Counselor I qualification option: Two years of experience comparable to an Eligibility Technician III with Riverside County.
• Employment Services Counselor I qualification option: Completion of 30 semester or 45 quarter units of coursework in social or behavioral sciences, education, public or business administration, or a closely related field. One year of interviewing experience involving placement and/or monitoring of clients in employment or training programs may substitute for 15 semester or 24 quarter units.
• Employment Services Counselor I qualification option: Two years of professional-level personnel-field experience, including exposure to a wide variety of occupational areas and use of job placement and skills assessment.
• Employment Services Counselor II qualification option: One year of experience as an Employment Services Counselor I with Riverside County.
• Employment Services Counselor II qualification option: Two years of professional experience in vocational, educational, or motivational counseling; employment development; training; employment agreement negotiation and monitoring; or vocational testing and assessment. Experience must include one year in a California county welfare-to-work program.
• Employment Services Counselor II qualification option: One year of experience comparable to an Eligibility Supervisor with Riverside County.
• Knowledge of counseling, vocational guidance, and occupational placement principles and techniques; unemployment and vocational-adjustment problems faced by disadvantaged people; occupational duties and requirements; public social service agencies and their services; and general labor-market trends and economic conditions.
• Ability to promote hiring welfare recipients to employers and the community; assess participants’ employability; counsel and motivate participants; mediate and resolve conflicts between participants and employers; establish effective working relationships; communicate effectively orally and in writing; and maintain case records.
• Pass a computerized assessment if determined minimally qualified.
• Possess a valid California Driver’s License.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods during counseling sessions, travel with clients to interviews or appointments, and lift and carry light materials such as files or laptops weighing up to 20 pounds.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with ELMR, particularly for accurately documenting services and maintaining up-to-date participant records.
• Proficient computer skills.
• Spanish bilingual ability; the Human Resources Department may coordinate a non-proctored bilingual assessment.

Responsibilities

• Solicit and develop employment sources for participants and explain program benefits and requirements to potential employers and community organizations.
• Cold-call potential employers, attend job fairs and other functions to solicit jobs, and promote participation in employment programs.
• Interview, screen, and counsel participants about employment barriers and advise them on alternative training and employment opportunities.
• Evaluate participants’ interests, education, and experience to determine possible program placements and develop plans to support labor-market entry.
• Arrange supportive services, refer participants to appropriate training and employment services, and monitor and evaluate their progress and attendance.
• Counsel participants on employment interview skills, techniques, and etiquette, and follow up after job placement to help resolve work-related problems.
• Administer and determine suitability for Lump Sum Diversions.
• Facilitate Self Sufficiency Through Employment (SSTE) Workshops.
• Conduct home calls to promote participation in employment programs, help overcome barriers, and provide job leads.

What This Job Offers

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