Career Services Advisor

The University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology is seeking a Career Services Advisor to join our staff and student community. This role is responsible for providing support to the internship program and career services offerings available to undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.  

Reporting directly to the Career Services Specialist, the Career Services Advisor is responsible for activities and events related to supporting internship activities, career service initiatives, and event management. Internship activities include but are not limited to: administrative tasks related to the internship courses, addressing inquiries from current and prospective undergraduate and Masters students, corresponding with current and prospective internship sites, and collaboration with Leonard Davis academic advisors, student services staff, and faculty as well as academic advisors from multiple Schools across USC. Career service initiatives include, but are not limited to: resume workshops, speed mock interview events, alumni panels, events with prospective employers, and coordinating efforts with USC Central Career Center. Event management includes but is not limited to multi-day in-person, virtual, and hybrid events related to supporting internships and career development.

The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal skills, high attention to detail, and mastery of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Adobe Suite, Brightspace, Zoom, and other communication platforms. Candidate must be able to work in a professional work setting with various levels of students, staff, and faculty and be able to work independently or in a group setting. Knowledge of and experience working in higher education is preferred.

Responsibilities and duties include:

• Respond to inquiries in a timely manner, through digital and in-person interactions
• Develop rapport with students to gain an understanding of their needs and advocate on behalf of students to internship sites, community partners, and prospective employers
• Support classroom activities including creating and maintaining class content, grading discussion boards, and providing office hours
• Provide career counseling services to students and alumni
• Conduct career assessments, gather informational resources, perform job searches, and assist with the identification and evaluation of career path options
• Liaise between employer organizations and students to facilitate recruitment for employment and/or internships
• Assist with coordinating professional development opportunities
• Process documentation related to setting up affiliations with various organizations
• Assist senior advisors and/or management with administrative functions
• Track and update student databases
• Prepare, generate, and submit weekly reports as directed by Career Services Specialist
• Attend meetings, workshops, trainings, webinars, or events related to internships or career development; travel may be required
• The incumbent will be expected to continue upgrading the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to keep abreast of regulation/policy changes
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested; the University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in gerontology, counseling, education, communication, or related field and two or more years of experience in a career services or related field. Combined experience/education as a substitute for minimum education.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Adobe Suite, Brightspace, Zoom, and other communication platforms
• Must possess the ability to think quickly, and strategically and execute new ideas in a fast-paced environment
• Must possess the ability to excel at details, work well under pressure, and have great problem-solving skills
• Must have great organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects in an efficient and timely manner and be flexible, versatile, and/or tolerant in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency
• Must have concise and clear verbal and written communication skills; possess highly developed organizational, analytical, and program-solving skills to successfully manage a large volume of diverse tasks/projects
• Must have outstanding people skills and be able to work collaboratively and positively with others of diverse backgrounds, opinions, and needs; ability to remain calm, professional, and confidential when faced with a challenging/sensitive situation and respond with tact and diplomacy
• Must be enthusiastic, creative, and capable of effectively functioning in a professional work setting with various levels of students, staff, faculty, and community partners, both in group settings and independently with little to no supervision

This is a non-exempt, full-time position with work expected in person during typical business hours. Occasionally, there will be conferences and other events that may require travel, working remotely, and working on weekends. Benefits include a competitive salary, and a rich array of USC benefits including healthcare (including dental and vision), 403(b), tuition reimbursement, national holidays, paid vacation, and more.

The hourly rate range for this position is $29.46 to $33.15. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

If you are interested, please submit your completed application, including a cover letter and resume with references. Thank you for your interest!

USC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring ordinance. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at (213) 821-8100, or by email at uschr@usc.edu.  Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

Minimum Education: Bachelor's degree In Counseling Or Higher Education Or Human Resources Or in a related field(s) Minimum Experience: 1 year in career services, human resources, recruiting, or a related field. Minimum Skills: Advanced knowledge of employer recruiting strategies, job market trends, and occupational, career, and employment information sources. Superior level of professionalism, exceptional attention to detail, and excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills. Proven business savvy, ability to deliver quality services, and passion as it relates to impact on outcomes. Demonstrated experience interacting with diverse groups, exercising diplomacy, good judgment, and discretion.