Career Advisor

Department: UL

Classification: Professional Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: Salary range starting in the low $60k's; commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

We prepare and connect career-ready students for post-graduate success. University Career Services (UCS), a unit within the Division of University Life (UL), is the centralized career center for George Mason University (Mason), serving 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students. UCS is dedicated to helping students identify and pursue opportunities where they can make a positive impact in a complex and quickly evolving world. In partnership with our strong network of employers, alumni, and faculty we are able to break down barriers and successfully connect students with meaningful opportunities in their industries of interest to help them reach their full potential and advance not only themselves socio-economically, but their families too. Existing services and programs include one-on-one appointments, career exploration, industry specific programs, career fairs, experiential learning opportunities and graduate school preparation.

About the Position:

Provides career advising virtually and in-person for students/alums on all aspects of their career development including goalsetting, career planning, and internship/job searching to increase students’ career readiness and post-graduation outcomes. Includes career counseling in complex areas that require specialized expertise, such as career assessments, mid-life transitions, balancing work and family, imposter syndrome, international student hiring in the US, etc. Incorporates depth of knowledge in assigned career fields to educate students/alums about industry-specific recruiting/hiring trends, top employers, application processes, and changing workplace norms. This position supports students at distributed campuses (e.g., Fuse at Mason Square (Arlington) and SciTech (Manassas) through in person meetings, workshops and other career related events.

Responsibilities:

• Provides career advising to students/alums representing a broad range of career concerns including choosing/changing majors, choosing/changing careers and planning for graduate school;
• Interprets vocational assessment instruments (e.g., Strong Interest Inventory, Myers- Briggs Type Indicator, Skillscan Driver, CliftonStrengths);
• Assists students in exploring career options and identifying sources of experiential learning to further clarify their career and industries of interest and to develop necessary skills/knowledge;
• Provides advising to students/alums interested in the assigned career fields (Technology, Engineering, etc) and educates students on how to research employers, network, and engage in the internship/job search process using current technology;
• Serves as center specialist on assigned industry areas, maintaining current information on recruiting practices, timelines, and industry trends;
• Educates and prepares students on the specifics of their job/internship search strategy, including document review, networking techniques, interview preparation, and salary negotiation;
• Prepares and updates annual outreach workshops and presentations for various campus audiences, delivers as requested;
• Assists students in leveraging the use of social media and other technology in their search strategy;
• Uses career management system (e.g., Handshake) to track all interactions with students/alums and to track their progress;
• Compiles and understands data to evaluate and address students needs in a timely fashion;
• Develops content for and conduct workshops, career panels and training sessions on a variety of career topics to educate and prepares students for the world of work;
• Serves as a key liaison to critical stakeholders (for example, College of Engineering and Computing, University Life, etc.);
• Works collaboratively with Assistant Director to determine the key offices/individual relationships that need to be developed;
• Utilizes virtual technologies and resources in the delivery of service to students as appropriate;
• Engages faculty/academic units/advisors to create campus-wide support for promoting a culture of career-readiness;
• Develops content for and conduct workshops, career panels and training sessions on a variety of career topics to educate and prepare students for the world of work;
• Utilizes virtual technologies and resources in the delivery of service to students as appropriate;
• Consults with academic stakeholders to identify gaps in career education and provide relevant content;
• Develops career programs or provides relevant content for inclusion in large-scale programs (e.g., Career Weeks);
• Regularly engages with Employer Engagement Consultants and Program Managers to remain up to date on industry/market trends particularly within the technology and engineering industries by attending at least five (5) employer-related events per semester;
• Stays current on career development trends, relevant on and off campus resources, and related technology; 
• Uses career management system (e.g., Handshake) and Interstride to understand and analyze hiring trends and future employment opportunities; 
• Establishes and maintains effective cross-campus relationships to promote UCS services, resources and employer programming;
• Performs service responsibilities:
  • Supports staffing needs for large-scale events (e.g. career fairs, orientation), both in person and virtually;
  • Contributes to UCS strategic plan development and implementation;
  • Serves on division/university committees to represent UCS;
  • Serves as liaison to university departments as appropriate; and
  • Participates in all-staff meetings, trainings, and symposia for UCS and the division of University Life. 

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in a related field, (e.g., Counseling, Higher Education, Human Resources, etc.) or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience;
• Professional or graduate level experience typically obtained in one or more years in a higher education setting counseling/advising students on academic, career, internship, and job search issues;
• Knowledge of career development theories and job search strategies;
• Demonstrated proficiency in designing and delivering presentations, virtually and in-person;
• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively on team projects/initiatives;
• Ability to work with diverse populations; and
• Ability to support students at distributed campuses (e.g., Fuse at Mason Square (Arlington) and SciTech (Manassas) through in person meetings, workshops and other career related events.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Related work experience (typically obtained in three or more years);
• Demonstrated experience building positive relationships and partnerships with stakeholders (e.g., students, alumni, faculty, employers and administrators);
• Experience working with international students;
• Knowledge of majors/careers in Engineering and Technology;
• Knowledge of career management systems (e.g., Handshake);
• Demonstrated proficiency in using career assessments (e.g., Strong Interest Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Skillscan Driver, Clifton Strengths); and
• Ability to research and quickly develop knowledge of employer recruiting strategies, and job market trends.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Career Advisor at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent with Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: February 21, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  March 7, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes