Career Development Advisor

**Schedule**
35 hours per week, 8:30am-4:30pm, evenings and weekends as needed.

**Education Level**
Bachelor’s degree in Humanities, Psychology or related field and completion of Career Development Practitioner Certificate.

**Career Level**
Requires 3 years of relevant experience.

**Unit/Project Description**:
The Student Success Centre provides a diverse array of programs to students related to academic skills, transition, spiritual care, leadership and career development and employment, experiential learning opportunities both local and abroad and provides support services for our international undergraduate students. We support students from the time that they enter university to the time that they graduate and beyond. The Centre is a high paced environment, popular with students, alumni and employers and works in collaboration and partnership with many other internal and external stakeholders. This role will focus on the career development needs of McMaster’s international student population.

**Job Summary**:
Responsible for providing support, guidance, advising and/or coaching to students as it pertains to career and employment objectives. Promotes student development, success and retention, and encourages career achievement. Conducts coaching and advising sessions regarding career choice, further educational direction and career goal progress. Assesses the needs, goals, interests and experience of students to assist them in designing, planning and implementing their individual plan.

**Purpose and Key Functions**:

- Provide individual advising/coaching services and guidance in developing self - marketing and branding tools, including but not limited to, job search strategies, resumes, cover letters, interview skills, networking, portfolio development and negotiation skills.
- Works within a triage model to assess the student needs that can cover transition, orientation, academic skills, international services, leadership training, career and employment and further education requirements.
- Design and implement evaluation strategies such as surveys, focus groups, and rubrics to measure program outcomes and effectiveness.
- Develop an effective and efficient program delivery strategy such as student peer based models, seminars, workshops, and online resources to optimize services and programs.
- Initiate collaborations and partnerships (internal and external) in support of an integrated approach to supporting the whole student and promoting a shared approach for student success.
- Write career and skill development resource materials.
- Prepare documents including, but not limited to, reference letters for students, correspondence and schedule of workshops to be delivered.
- Create, implement and maintain policies and procedures related to the front management and career services offered.
- Facilitate or lead student development and employment related workshops.
- Track usage statistics of services offered. Make comparison to previous year, track trends, report findings and make necessary recommendations to meet needs/demands.
- Gather, compile and analyze information identifying labour market data, trends, and job opportunities and corresponding market salary levels.
- Act as liaison when necessary between faculty, staff and students to assist in resolving issues, providing program referrals.
- Assist in the timely resolution of issues in the case of program deadlines etc.
- Understand and stay current on employment/labour legislation, changing workforce and economic outlooks.
- Provide referral to other service providers in the case of crisis intervention and support related to personal, career or academic related issues.
- Works with students to address personal and workplace realities with students with disabilities and other employment equity groups (international students, aboriginal students, LGBTQQ).
- Conduct client assessments (intake) to gather necessary information.
- Develop and facilitate a variety of programs and workshops related to career and employment.
- Develop material and deliver presentations.
- Review and critique client resumes and cover letters.
- Create resource materials to assist clients in developing job search strategies and techniques.
- Occasionally provides orientation and shows front line procedures to others.
- Meet with students in groups and individually to discuss and guide regarding career options within their role of study and interests (value of their degree).
- Develop and deliver new programs and workshops tailored to specific needs of various client groups.
- Conduct research for the purpose of developing resources and new workshops aimed at supporting student transition into the workforce.
- Responsible for assessment and the evaluation of programs and service delivery.
- Collaborate with colleagues and counselors to discuss the growth and delivery of programs.
- Maintain and update physical and virtual resources and information material in the cent