Salary: Career Employment Specialist (#1416)
$16.28-$19.87 hourly / $2,831-$3,456 monthly / Range: 4926
Career Employment Specialist, Senior (#1417)
$18.35-$22.40 hourly / $3,191-$3,895 monthly / Range: 5166
DEFINITION: Under supervision, provides direct client services in
the areas of employment counseling, client needs assessment,
vocational evaluation, employment preparation, and training,
referral to community resources and support services, program
eligibility, and/or job development/placement; and performs related
duties as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Incumbents in the Career Employment
Specialist series are assigned to one or more of the employment
services programs within the Social Services Department, and may be
assigned to either a specific caseload or function, such as job
development and placement. The Career Employment Specialist is the
entry-level classification in this series. Incumbents at this level
work under immediate supervision and are assigned a limited, less
complex caseload. Employees at the entry level learn to apply the
rules and regulations of their assigned program in interviewing
clients, providing vocational counseling, determining eligibility,
making referrals for other human services programs, support
services, and community resources, and providing vocational
assessment, preparation, training, and job development/placement
services. Incumbents may advance to Career Employment Specialist,
Senior after gaining and demonstrating proficiencies that meet the
requirements of the higher class.
The Career Employment Specialist, Senior is the journey-level
classification in the Employment Services series. Incumbents are
expected to independently perform employment services work under
minimal supervision and are assigned all levels of cases, including
the most complex or difficult, and/or the full range of job
development placement responsibilities. The Career Employment
Specialist, Senior is distinguished from the Career Employment
Specialist Supervisor in that the latter is the first-line
supervisory classification and is responsible for the day-to-day
employment services operations and supervision of staff within an
assigned program and/or in an assigned geographical location.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
1. Interviews, advises, and guides a diverse population of clients
to ascertain employability; interprets and explains regulations,
rules, policies, and procedures to clients; may determine client
eligibility for services; apprises clients of their rights,
benefits, responsibilities, and obligations under program
participation; ensures that applications and other forms are
completed accurately and thoroughly.
2. Assesses client's education, work experience, skills, abilities,
qualifications, and job interest; assesses client readiness for job
referral, classroom training, on-the-job training, and/or support
services; attempts to match clients with available employment,
training, or other opportunities/services.
3. Identifies problems/barriers that hinder employability; assists
clients in resolving and mitigating barriers to employment by
identifying the need for other services and benefits; counsels
clients regarding recommended solutions and suggested supportive
services; makes appropriate referrals to department, County, and
other community resources; makes arrangements/referrals for a wide
range of specialized and/or support services, which may include ESL
courses, high school diploma or equivalency education, homeless
mitigation, child care, substance abuse treatment/counseling, family
crisis/domestic violence intervention, health care or mental health
services, etc.
4. Analyzes information obtained from interviews, tests, and other
sources to develop short- and long-term client goals; develops and
implements individual employment plans; ensures client conformance
with program rules and regulations, department policies, and
employment plans.
5. Contacts public and private employers in order to develop
on-the-job training and/or direct job placement sites for clients;
maintains cooperative relationships with employers, academic and
vocational training institutions, and support service and community
resource agencies; identifies appropriate job placement/training
opportunities for clients; maintains an awareness of local job
market and opportunities to assist in providing guidance to clients;
may arrange for employment interviews, attend job fairs, conduct
special workshops, presentations, group orientations, or perform
other training and outreach activities.
6. Monitors and evaluates client's progress through program
components; monitors service providers through reports and site
visits; resolves any problems or provides guidance and counseling;
may make phone calls or conduct field visits to investigate clients'
progress in various programs designed to assist clients in preparing
for and obtaining employment.
7. Inputs necessary information into automated system(s); organizes
cases; maintains and updates records on client employment, training,
and follow-up activities; takes required action(s) established by
regulations and/or department policy; prepares reports on client and
program activities; and participates in training, pilot and other
special projects, committees, and studies.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Career Employment Specialist:
1. Completion of 12 semester units, 18 quarter units, or 12
continuing education credits in behavioral sciences or related
field, such as sociology, counseling, social work, psychology,
vocational guidance, or other field related to the provision of
employment services and two years of experience conducting
interviews, handling a caseload, providing counseling, or direct
public contact experience dealing with employment-related issues;
or,
2. completion of 12 semester units, 18 quarter units, or 12
continuing education credits in behavioral sciences or related
field, such as sociology, counseling, social work, psychology,
vocational guidance, or other field related to the provision of
employment services and two years of experience equivalent to an
Eligibility Worker with Santa Barbara County; or,
3. a combination of training, education, and experience that is
equivalent to the employment standards listed above and that
provides the required knowledge and abilities.
Career Employment Specialist, Senior:
1. Completion of 12 semester units, 18 quarter units, or 12
continuing education credits in behavioral sciences or related
field, such as sociology, counseling, social work, psychology,
vocational guidance, or other coursework related to the provision of
employment services and eighteen months of experience equivalent to
a Career Employment Specialist with Santa Barbara County; or,
2. a combination of training, education, and experience that is
equivalent to the employment standard listed above and that provides
the required knowledge and abilities.
Additional Requirements: Possession of a valid California Class C
Driver's License may be required. Bilingual skills may also be
required. In addition, incumbents may be required to perform civil
defense duties and work outside normal business hours. Working
conditions may involve exposure to communicable diseases such as
tuberculosis. Selectees must, as a condition of employment, sign
statements agreeing to comply with Section 1166 of the California
Penal Code relating to child abuse reporting and Section 15630 of
the California Penal Code relating to elder abuse reporting.
Career Employment Specialist:
Knowledge of: general goals and purposes of public social services
programs; techniques for interviewing and gathering information from
varied population; arithmetic skills sufficient to interpret client
income and expense information to identify general eligibility for
services and benefits within program requirements; general office
practices and procedures and record keeping methods; techniques for
communicating with a variety of individuals from various
socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; employment
interviewing and assessment methods; standard English usage and
grammar; and basic computer applications related to an office work
environment.
Ability to: learn the laws and regulations pertaining to assigned
employment services program; read, apply, interpret, and explain
State and Federal regulations, policies, and procedures governing
assigned program area; learn community educational and vocational
resources and other community social services resources; understand
and apply vocational guidance, work-readiness appraisal, employment
plan, assessment theory and concepts; learn to identify
socioeconomic, physical, mental, behavioral, cultural, language, and
other barriers to employment; learn to develop an approach to
mitigate/reduce potential and real barriers to employment; learn
customary practices used in employment training, job development,
and job placement; learn techniques used in the development of basic
employment plans; learn techniques of vocational evaluation and
employment guidance; learn academic and vocational education or
training programs for a wide variety of jobs; gather, record, and
evaluate information; learn motivational techniques; draw logical
conclusions and make appropriate recommendations, judgments, and
decisions; make arithmetic calculations; communicate effectively
verbally and in writing; organize and prioritize work assignments;
maintain accurate and systematic records; prepare statistical and
narrative reports; understand program objectives in relation to
departmental goals; use automated technology to maintain records and
files; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with
other County employees, clients, employers, representatives from
outside agencies, and the public; assess and manage difficult or
hostile persons/situations and call for intervention when
appropriate; maintain confidentiality of information; and learn
basic case management techniques.
Career Employment Specialist, Senior:
Same as the entry level, plus
Knowledge of: community educational and vocational resources and
other community social services resources; Federal and State labor
laws; laws and regulations pertaining to assigned program;
fundamental principles of human behavior; socioeconomic, physical,
mental, behavioral, cultural, language, and other barriers to
employment; techniques of vocational evaluation and employment
guidance; motivational techniques; practices used in employment
training, job development, and job placement; techniques used in the
development of employment plans; academic and vocational education
or training programs for a wide variety of jobs; and case management
techniques.
Ability to: motivate clients; train and guide other staff in more
complex case activities; analyze complex work situations accurately
and adopt effective courses of action; understand local labor market
issues and trends; understand basic business practices of private
sector; and carry out assignments and projects without detailed
instructions.
