Career Specialist I

Position Title: Career Specialist 

Department: Workforce Development

Reports to: Director of Chicago Housing Authority Program 

About the Program:

Workforce Development (WFD): help families achieve economic and social self-sufficiency. Career Services' goal is to offer participants the knowledge, skills and confidence to become successful in the workplace by inspiring, motivating and educating clients to pursue a career path, whether or not they are currently in school. Utilizing career interest inventories and workforce assessments, staff are able to assist participants in identifying their strengths and goals so they are able to make an informed decision while pursing employment opportunities. These are some of the additional programs offered within this service. 

Position Objective and Summary:

Under the supervision of the Chicago Housing Authority Program Director, the Career Specialist develops and provides a range of employment related services primarily to clients in the Chicago Housing Authority Workforce Program with the goals of job placement, job retention and increased household income for increased self-sufficiency.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Established and maintain relationships with employers creating a concurrent job order to distribute to potential candidates
• Utilize a wide variety of methods to generate candidates, including internal and external networking, job fairs and referral program
• Targets client needs in order to increase employment outcomes, including: consistent employment for those who are sporadically employed and employment skills for those with little or no work history.
• Develops and maintains relationships and communication with a wide range of Chicagoland businesses and employers that will partner with UCAN as resources for internships and job placement.
• Inventories client interest in various job opportunities based on market availability and refers clients to jobs in areas of interest.
• Counsel clients around issues of job readiness, job and vocational training, job search and adjustments to new jobs and work-life.
• Provides guidance services to clients in various aspects of their functioning that affects their obtaining and/or maintaining employment.
• Collects, organizes and analyzes information about clients through records, tests, interviews and professional sources to appraise their needs, interests, abilities and personality characteristics for vocational and educational counseling, job training and job placement.
• Conduct outreach services to attract and recruit Chicago Housing Authority residents for UCAN’s Workforce Development Services.
• Must meet identified job placement and client recruitment services.
• Compiles and studies occupational, educational, economic and personal developmental information to aid clients in making and carrying out occupational and vocational objectives to meet their needs.
• Establishes and maintains potential employer contacts to ensure placement opportunities for clients who have successfully completed training or are at the appropriate skill level.
• Solicits job openings and establishes job interviews with clients; supports clients during the interview process and job orientation and performs follow-up as necessary.
• Advises and consults with case management staff towards integration of employment activities with other program services.
• Keeps organized and accurate records on job training, placement and retention for all clients who participated in employment related services.
• Maintains current knowledge through participation in training sessions, seminars, conferences, etc.
• Refer applicants to service such as literacy, language instruction, transportation assistance vocational training and childcare.
• Using a case management approach, as well as regular telephone and in-person consultations, supporting and motivate clients as they transition into an employment situation by helping them address workplace related barriers.
• Work with employers to ensure that the new employee is performing satisfactorily and is retained in the new position.
• Coordinate hiring event and jobs fairs for clients that will result in job placements.
• Facilitate and analyze mentoring workshops and job training classes to clients to ensure successful employment placement.
• Conduct trainings an information sessions on topics such as how to deal with workplace conflict how to overcome workplace stress, hot to allocate time, how to deal with difficult bosses, how to respond to employer criticism, how to ask for a raise, how to look for a new job while holding a current one, how to handle external pressures that hamper performance, etc. These topics will also be address in the one-on-one sessions as well.
• Engage clients in career planning, addressing issues of career advancement, career change and exploring education steps necessary to obtain jobs within career ladders.
• Monitor and report the employment status and salary of all FamilyWorks clients on a monthly basis highlighting their 30, 60, 90, and 180 day milestones.
• Work in conjunction with the client's case manager to address issues external to the workplace, impacting performance and job retention.
• Develop and implement a retention incentive program.
• Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.

Professionalism and Work Conduct

• Behaves with integrity, demonstrates high ethical standards, and displays a positive image of UCAN.
• Acts in a professional manner at all times and maintains appropriate boundaries with clients.
• Demonstrates accountability for results and keeps commitments to others.
• Reports to work, meetings, training, and job related activities prepared and as scheduled.
• Demonstrates openness and respect for cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of clients and coworkers.
• Accepts feedback and ideas from team and supervisor and is constructive when giving feedback and ideas to others.
• Discusses alternative problem solving and is open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Performs other related tasks as assigned or required.

Education/Job Experience/Certification:

Level I:

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Human Services, Education, Human Resources or Business required.
• Minimum of two years of experience working in human services, education, job training, vocational services or sales.

Level II:

• Master’s Degree in in Social Work, Human Services, Education, Human Resources or Business required.
• Minimum of two years of experience working in human services, education, job training, vocational services or sales.
• Demonstrated ability to meet outcome expectations and performance indicators.

Special Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Is open and respectful of cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of clients and is willing and competent to work with a diverse client population.
• Experience working with teenagers and young adults.
• Experience or ability to use computers for data entry, communication and report writing.
• Must possess vehicle and current, valid driver's license and insurance.

Work Environment: This position requires work in the community. This position requires work in the evenings and weekends.