Working Title: Career Advisor

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Student Life and Involvement

Department: 100358 - University Career Center

Pay Rate: Pay Range

Specify Range or Amount: $45,000 - $47,250

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? No

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 03/25/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

Career Advisors work in the University Career Center (UCC) to empower students to design their career journey and support them through that journey. They do this by:

Assisting students individually and in groups with career exploration, job and internship search, resume/CV and cover letter writing, interview skills, and graduate school preparation.

Developing knowledge about their assigned Career Communities and paths and collaborating with the Employer Services team to meet the needs of all students at any point in their career journey.

Facilitating career-related connections between faculty, employers, students, and alumni.

Tailoring career-related programs, services, and resources for their Career Community and/or designated academic unit(s).

Educating themselves on how student identities impact career journeys and decision-making.

We serve students and recent alumni both in person and online. The UCC works predominately in person with a varied remote schedule that averages out to one remote day per week.


Learn more about the Career Center’s mission, vision, and values here- www.jmu.edu/career/about/mission.shtml. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

#1: Career Advising: (30%): Provide comprehensive career advising to students and recent alumni within assigned Career Communities and the general student population. Advise students individually and in groups both in person and through virtual platforms.  Empower students to explore careers and develop effective search strategies for their career goals and be able to discuss with students and recent alumni how various factors can impact their job search, graduate school search, or post-graduate careers. Coach students to effectively articulate the value of their JMU education and build connections between their academic and co-curricular activities and their career path. Administer and interpret career assessments with students as needed. Seek continued learning to more effectively work with students and develop relevant programming.

 

#2 Career Community Engagement & Programming (30%): Create a minimum of 2 opportunities each semester for students to connect with employers (i.e., networking event, career panel, at career trek or experiential learning opportunities) in designated Career Communities. Collaborate with Employer Services to assist with employer development and employer relations related to assigned Career Communities. Work with media team to provide and support promotion of content related to assigned Career Communities.

Design and deliver workshops, seminars and events that enhance students’ understanding of career pathways related to their academic studies. Collaborate with faculty to align career development programs with classroom curriculum across disciplines. Monitor and assess learning outcomes through data analysis, student feedback, and outcome evaluations.



#3: Course Instruction (10%):  Teach a career decision-making/career exploration course at least once a year, complying with all JMU protocol and deadlines for instructional faculty. Participate in ongoing professional development to inform curricular knowledge and incorporate academic and career development effectively into course.


#4: Outreach to Students, Faculty, Staff (30%): Cultivate and maintain collaborative partnerships with stakeholders including administrators and faculty. Collaborate with faculty and college partners to provide college specific programs as requested. Presentations may take place in workshops, classrooms, online, and other settings, including nights and occasional weekends.

Identify and respond to trends related to student needs and employer engagement trends through services, resources, and programs for assigned academic areas and Career Communities. Serve as an information resource on career-related topics related to assigned areas for students, faculty, employers, and University Career Center colleagues. Create opportunities to interact with students in the space of the assigned areas as is deemed beneficial.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Master's degree
• Conferred master’s degree required by start date
  
  

Preferred:

• At least two years of experience working with students in a higher education or related setting in an advising, coaching, or counseling setting
• Experience and ability creating and sustaining collaborative relationships with other departments or organizations, including student groups
• Experience developing educational programs for large and small audiences
• Familiarity with student development or career decision making framework or theories
• Knowledge of current literature and/or best practices related to recruiting and preparing students to enter STEM and Research fields
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.