Career Services Specialist

Goodwill Southern California (GSC) prepares and places thousands of individuals into sustainable employment through programs and services throughout Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. As one of the leading non-profit brands in the world, and the largest non-profit in Southern California, we have been transforming lives through the power of work for over 100 years. Goodwill Southern California supports its mission with proceeds generated from over 78 retail stores and over 44 attended donation centers, as well as from charitable donations and grants from the public and private sectors. Goodwill SoCal is a rapidly evolving organization and yet we have never been more focused – on our mission, on our people, and on our future. It’s always a GOOD day in SoCal!

Primary Responsibility / Summary

Assists a diverse pool of program participants with their career planning and career decision-making process, including intensive career counseling, assessment, job search assistance and retention services. Advises on labor market trends and guides participants related to training/re-training needs.Goodwill Southern California greatly values our employees’ health and well-being. Per company Policy, all our employees are required to be fully vaccinated for Covid 19.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

  1. Provides intensive employment, comprehensive case management and career planning services to a diverse population of program participants who are enrolled in services. Maintains a rolling case load per program requirements.
  2. Conducts assessment of participant employment and training needs and creates individualized employment plans to guide participation in program activities; makes referrals to training services, as appropriate to the program and participant.
  3. Monitors and evaluates participant progress through individualized employment plan; provides guidance and coaching to help participants resolve issues and remain motivated to obtain and maintain employment. Holds case conferences as needed.
  4. Maintains relationships with and makes appropriate referrals to other service and training providers who can assist participant with supportive services designed to mitigate barriers and enhance employability.
  5. Prepares job seekers for employment, including resume preparation, interviewing skills, and workplace etiquette.
  6. Conducts employment readiness workshops and provides one‐on‐one coaching to enrolled job seekers.
  7. Provides job development assistance working collaboratively with Community and Business Outreach Team to match participants to appropriate jobs. Arranges for interviews.
  8. Supports participant in job retention as assigned. Assists with reasonable accommodation process.
  9. Conducts real time data entry inputting necessary information into automated case management system, maintains electronic and hard copy confidential case files, documents participant progress, prepares progress reports, case notes, and completes and retention employment documentation.
  10. Provides written and verbal progress and billing reports to referring agencies, where required.
  11. Driving record must be acceptable by the company’s insurance vendor.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

  1. Provides program leadership with ad hoc reports, as needed.
  2. Provides coverage in resource area, as assigned; monitors equipment use.
  3. Assists with facilitation of program events such as recruitments and Business Advisory Council meetings.

Supervisory Responsibilities

  • This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience

  • At least 3 years of career counseling experience in a non-profit setting.
  • Bachelor’s degree from four‐year college or university in psychology, social work, education, or related field required.
  • Master’s degree in similar preferred.
  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills; possess abilities to work with all levels of employees and diverse populations.
  • Previous experience with WIA or DOR regulations, per program requirements.
  • Experience providing case management services to people with disabilities highly desired.
  • Experience in staffing or human resources helpful.
  • Strong counseling and coaching skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
  • Experience in assessing work experience, educational attainment, transferable skills, aptitudes, abilities, needs, interests, readiness for employment, and barriers that hinder employment.
  • Bi-lingual fluency (e.g., English/ASL, English/Spanish, etc.) and ability understand another culture as required by the program or local community highly desired.

Other Qualifications

  • ADA knowledge required.
  • Understands use of labor market information in career planning.
  • Team player.
  • Strong multi‐tasking ability.
  • Possesses a valid driver’s license and state‐required auto insurance.
  • This position may require some local travel.
  • Shift flexibility and overtime when needed.
  • Ability to handle confidential information.
  • Punctual and dependable attendance.
  • Free from alcohol and drug abuse.
  • Understands the basic philosophy of Goodwill and participates fully in carrying out its mission.
  • Adheres to Goodwill’s values of Respect, Integrity, Service, & Excellence.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

  • GCDF preferred

Other Educational Skills & Abilities

  • Must have intermediate knowledge of computer programs in a Windows environment, including Word, Excel and E-mail.

English Language Skills

  • Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills

  • Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability

  • Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills

  • Database software
  • Internet software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word Processing software
  • Presentation software
  • Case Management software

Required Training

  1. New Hire Orientation
    1. Complaints/Grievances
    2. Confidentiality
    3. Corporate Compliance
    4. Values and Diversity Training
    5. Conflict of Interest
  2. Safely Surrender Baby Law
  3. Mandated Reporter Status
  4. Data Systems
  5. ADA and Reasonable Accommodation
  6. GCDF Certification
  7. Safety Training
  8. Any other training required by law, funders, and the organization.

Values-Based Work Environment Notice

Goodwill Southern California provides a values-based work environment for our employees. All individuals are expected to support and promote our values:

  1. We treat everyone with respect, compassion and inclusion, recognizing their contributions and differences.
  2. We conduct business with transparency, integrity and accountability.
  3. We serve, empower and advocate for our clients, community, business partners and each other.
  4. We pursue a vision of excellence and continuous improvement to better the lives of those we serve.

The above description is not intended to be an “all-inclusive” list of the duties and responsibilities of the job described, nor is it intended to be such a listing of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Rather, it is intended only to describe the general nature of the job.

Pre-Employment Testing

  • Drug Screen
  • Background Check
  • Employment Verification
  • Live Scan
  • COVID Vaccine Verification

Goodwill Industries in Southern California is an equal opportunity employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you’d like more information about your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, please click here: http://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf

Goodwill gives preferential consideration to persons with barriers to employment. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Goodwill is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees.

Employment decisions will comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in employment including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and any other characteristic protected by federal or state law.

Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilities

In furtherance of our commitment to end discrimination against qualified disabled individuals, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and all regulations properly issued thereunder to protect the rights of qualified disabled persons, it is Goodwill’s policy that no program or activity administered by it shall exclude from participation, deny benefits to or subject to discrimination any individual solely by reason of his or her disability. Equal employment opportunity will be extended to qualified disabled persons in all aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including recruitment, hiring, upgrading, training, promotion, transfer, discipline, layoff, recall and termination. We further affirm that we will provide reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified disabled employee or applicant.

It is the policy of Goodwill to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. If you need assistance for accommodations to interview because of a disability, please notify the Human Resources Department.

Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a disability.

Other details

  • Job Family :WCD
  • Pay Type :Hourly

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