EMPLOYMENT COUNSELOR DEFINITION:
Under direction, provides employment counseling to applicants who present problems related to occupational choice, change, or adjustment, and places counselees and other applicants in employment; does related work as required.
NOTE: The definition and examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
EXAMPLES OF WORK:
Carries out the employment counseling function of a local employment office or provides counseling in a group of smaller offices on an itinerant basis, or may carry out this function on the premises of other community agencies on an outstation basis.
Interviews and counsels applicants who require special assistance in occupational problems of choice, change, or adjustment and determines the specific cause of occupational maladjustment.
Records needed personal and vocation data, and assists applicants in evaluating their vocation abilities and potentialities, interests, and capacities and in relating them realistically to prevailing occupation requirements and conditions.
Interprets the results of aptitude, performance, and other tests, and helps applicants to analyze and evaluate their vocation assets and relates them to realistic occupation objectives.
Provides information to applicants on job requirements, occupation opportunities, and training facilities, and assists them in formulating sound vocation plans.
Selects and refers applicants to training programs or work experience sites in conjunction with the applicant employability plan and monitors trainee's progress.
Plans, directs, and conducts group sessions for unemployed or underemployed applicants.
Establishes and maintains a working relationship with community agencies to provide employability or supportive services to program participants.
Refers applicants to other community agencies for special services beyond the scope of the local office as required.
Develops and maintains cooperative relationships with local community training, education, rehabilitation, and social agencies to interpret the counseling program of the employment service and to gain support in assisting applicants with vocation problems.
Provides placement services to applicants in line with vocation plans or as nearly as possible reflecting those plans.
Prepares clear, sound, accurate, and informative histories and reports of counseling activities containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Makes personal and telephone contacts to develop job orders for applicants in the public and private sectors.
Conducts periodic followup contacts on placements.
Makes eligibility determinations to ascertain applicants' appropriateness for various programs.
Visits public officials and community agencies to discuss program benefits.
Establishes and monitors public work sites.
Makes judgments on enrollee failure to participate.
Maintains essential records and files.
Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
REQUIREMENTS:
NOTE: Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience.
Five (5) years of professional experience in vocational guidance and counseling, including or supplemented by fifteen (15) semester hour credits in vocational guidance or other courses directly related to vocational counseling preparation.
OR
Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university including or supplemented by fifteen (15) semester hour credits in vocational guidance or other courses directly related to vocational counseling preparation; and one (1) year of the above mentioned professional experience.
OR
Possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university in Psychology, Education, Social Work, Personnel Administration, Counseling, Student Personnel Services, or related fields which shall have included a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hour credits of graduate study in vocational guidance or other courses directly related to counseling preparation. NOTE: "Professional experience" refers to work that is analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range of basic knowledge of the profession's concepts and practices; and is performed with the authority to act and make accurate and informed decisions.
LICENSE:
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge of problems which arise in counseling applicants for employment and the procedures, techniques, and resources available in their solution.
Knowledge of principles and techniques of vocational guidance.
Knowledge of individual differences in people and of personality development.
Knowledge of principles and techniques used in the appraisal of the vocational potentialities of applicants including interviewing, occupational testing, and the evaluation of personal traits.
Knowledge of group dynamics as applied to occupational development.
Knowledge of local community resources useful in increasing the employability of applicants.
Knowledge of problems and needs of culturally disadvantaged youth and other special groups.
Ability to learn the objectives, programs, policies, standards, and methods of the employment services as they apply to local offices.
Ability to learn the use and the content of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, the Handbook of Occupational Keywords, the Job Service Matching System Manual, and other reference material.
Ability to read and interpret New Jersey Unemployment Compensation law, the appropriate titles of the Federal Social Security Act, and the Job Training Partnership Act.
Ability to learn the general functions and purposes of public employment offices.
Ability to learn about keywording applicants for the purpose of job matching.
Ability to learn a variety of occupations and industries and of current employment and industrial conditions in New Jersey in terms of skills, abilities, and personal qualifications and training required for specific work.
Ability to supervise interviewers and other employees.
Ability to learn the modern methods and techniques used in the employment service in the registration, interviewing, and placing of applicants for employment.
Ability to organize assigned vocational counseling work, analyze specific vocational problems, and develop effective work methods.
Ability to observe and evaluate personal characteristics, physical capacities, formal education and other training, work histories, and the potential abilities and interests of the applicants and to interpret these factors in terms of their occupational significance.
Ability to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with associates, applicants for work, and employers, and with the representative of public and private community agencies.
Ability to draft correspondence in connection with the counseling program.
Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative statistical and other reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Ability to maintain essential records and files.
Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
