Located 45 minutes from the Nation’s Capital, nestled in a history-rich community of southern Maryland, The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) has been twice named in the top 150 community colleges by the Aspen Institute with academic programs in over 100 disciplines. CSM is among America’s top 100 producers of Minority associate degrees in twenty categories, according to
Diverse Issues in Higher Education. CSM offers excellent health insurance benefits; State Retirement Pension plan; wellness programs; Code Green early closure Fridays in the summer; college closure for spring break and several major holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year; and for several days in March for Spring Break. We are an innovative institution committed to student success and well known for our flexibility to meet student and community needs.The hiring salary for this position will be from the min to mid-point of the salary range.The Career Development Specialist serves as an ambassador for the college and must be self-sufficient, motivated, focused, organized, and have strong project and time management skills. The specialist supports the Industry Engagement Team by working directly with students to prepare them to be high performing and competent professionals in their chosen fields. The specialist will provide career-related information, develop and deliver instruction sessions on various workplace development topics – examples include resume writing, interview preparation, and competency development to successfully transition students from the classroom into employment opportunities. This includes collaborating to develop resources and supports, leveraging technology platforms, gathering feedback from students, working successfully in a team environment, and participating in larger partnerships and initiatives across the college. The results from establishing these relationships will enable the incumbent to become a strategic partner providing in demand, high-growth employment, and job placement services within the tri-county area. This position works closely with administration, faculty, management, staff, students, and departments including the CSM Foundation alumni network. The specialist must be flexible with their schedule, as hours may include off-site locations, evenings, and/or occasionally, but infrequently, weekends.
The College of Southern Maryland conducts background checks in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the College's staff and students. The final candidate for this position will be subject to the following background checks: Criminal History Check and Sex Offender Registry Check.
This position is open until filled. 75 % Relationship Building and Management- Prepare students at CSM to enter the tri-county business community as employees; as we strive to be the professional first choice provider of talent and innovative workforce solutions.
- Coordinate and/or deliver a variety of workshops and 1:1 student support opportunities focused on building student workforce readiness throughout the entire student journey. Topics include but are not limited to personal branding, resume writing, interview preparation, job search techniques, transferable skills, and other topics relevant to developing students’ knowledge, skills, and marketability.
- Responsible for the growth, curation, and engagement of students, alumni, and employers with career platforms, including but not limited to resume uploads, student applications, employer posting of employment opportunities, industry events, and employer information sessions and job fairs.
- Support the delivery of career services learning opportunities with a mindset of innovation, equity, and student empowerment.
- Manage student case load and ensure opportunities for growth and learning are offered in a timely manner.
- Work directly with students to assist them in all aspects of entering the job market.
- Ensure quality learning experiences for students by creating, developing, and delivering programs that complement and enhance the student’s academic and professional goals.
- Prepare and deliver presentations in a variety of settings (classrooms, individually, online, are examples)
- Develop and nurture relationships with students, faculty, and staff.
- Responsible for all aspects of the student career development relationship and deliverables.
5% Communication and Advocacy- Collaborate cross functionally with various departments, teams, and partners including the Workforce Center, SBDC, CSM Alumni and Innovation Team, industry partners, Instructional SMEs to align learning outcomes with career readiness preparation; and design supports to drive positive career outcomes.
- Communicate the Center’s value proposition to students and internal partners.
- Advocate for the needs and interests of the Center with students, staff, and faculty.
5% Research and Analysis- Keep up to date on career and workforce trends, industry requested transferable skills, and career readiness resources.
- Stay informed about industry developments and best practices in engagement and collaboration.
- Monitor quality of placements as outcomes related to the preparation of students this position engages with.
15% Reporting and Documentation- Define, track, report and analyze career readiness and career outcomes programming and student outcomes.
- Maintain accurate records of student agreements, activities, and communications.
- Document best practices and lessons from engagement initiatives.
Additional Duties:
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
- Bachelor's degree in business, teaching, economic development or similar with experience in instruction and/or student development/engagement.
- Or an Associate's degree with 3- 5+ years career development, workforce development and/or job placement experience.
- Strong customer service skills.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Professional demeanor
- Efficient use of Office 365, TEAMS, and Microsoft Products Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Preferred Education and Experience:
- Classroom or instruction delivery experience.
- Curriculum creation experience.
Licenses, Certifications, or Additional Requirements:
- Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP), Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), Certified Resume Writer (CRW), Certified Job Coach (various) strongly preferred.
- Working knowledge of job matching and labor market research tools and technologies.
- Ability to document engagements and inquiries and follow-through on next steps.
- Proficient knowledge of computer applications including common office productivity software, internet, and software applications and platforms supporting academic and higher education in general.
- Well-developed oral communication skills to convey concepts in individual and group settings for career coaching, skill development, and personal growth.
- Intercultural communication skills and cultural competency to work cooperatively with a diverse population of team members, students, and service providers.
- Demonstrated commitment to improving outcomes for all students.
- Ability to be flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to work cooperatively with students, faculty, and staff, external service providers, families, community organizations, and other agencies.
- Ability to organize and prioritize work, manage time, and meet program deadlines.
- Knowledge of current labor market trends.
- Ability to utilize data to inform prioritization and design or iterate student supports.
- Ability to communicate professionally, orally and in writing, in both formal and informal settings with students, faculty, staff, managers, and others involved with the program.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Demonstrate excellent work ethic and personal integrity.
- Strong customer service, organizational, and collaboration skills
- Ability to resolve customer issues/problems in a manner that exceeds client expectations.
- Ability to maintain accurate records of activities within approved database.
- Excellent verbal, written, and reporting communication skills.
- Ability to work autonomously and as a team member.
- A good driving record is required as is maintenance of insurability under the college’s vehicle liability insurance program.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The work is mostly sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in a relatively safe, and secure work environment.
