Counseling Assistant

Provides clerical and technical support to students, faculty, and counselors in the delivery of counseling, career planning, and college information services. Interacts with and assists students by directing them to the resources they need to engage as a student. Assists with outreach by participating in orientations, presentations, and events.

Distinguishing Career Features

The Counseling Assistant is contained in the career path for student counseling, advising, and testing services. The Counseling Assistant serves as intake and the first level of conveying information, introducing occupations and careers fulfilled by the College, and assisting students to navigate through the enrollment and counseling process. Advancement potential exists to Counseling Technician with a minimum of two years in a capacity equivalent to Counseling Assistant and a demonstrated ability to offer higher-level advising of students with their career exploration, interpret aptitude and placement tests, and monitor student records for acceptable academic progress.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Specific duties may vary among departments, divisions, and jobs. Incumbents typically perform a substantial portion or all of the following types of duties, as assigned:

• Identifies, assembles, prepares, and distributes information relating to availablecommunity college programs, alternatives, careers, and educational planning, transferprograms, and academic and student support services.
• Assists counselors in providing supportive services by performing pre-counseling and follow-up activities relating to individual student cases, campus-wide programs, and counseling activities. Serves as a student advocate to navigate matriculation.
• Participates in conducting student tours and orientation sessions involving the oral andwritten distribution of pertinent information to new and transferring students.
• Provides advisement assistance for students during registration and enrollment periods, recommending appropriate classes and planning schedules for counselor approval.
• Assists students in navigating career assessment and interest instruments and assists with career research.
• Maintains and updates counseling records pertaining to students’ academic progress, course and major choices, career interests, and problem areas.
• Refers students to available and pertinent college or community programs or services thatenhance their ability to maintain an active status.
• Provide support to students needing assistance in completing grant and scholarship applications, admissions forms, and related materials.
• Maintains an up-to date inventory of promotional, occupation-related, student services, and co-curricular program materials.
• Serves as a first point-of-contact for calls and walk-in visitors. Responds to inquiries for general information, encourages current and prospective students to visit, and refers callers to other resources that can provide further assistance.
• Participates in, and may organize and facilitate special activities, presentations, and outreach activities.
• Composes routine correspondence and compiles student and other data to support research and reports.
• Schedules and follows up on appointments arranged for students with counselors.
• Responsible for providing functional oversight and work direction to students and/or hourly support staff, as assigned, including such activities as the assignment of tasks and duties, distribution of work, training, scheduling, and checking on work performed in collaboration.
• Performs other related duties as assigned that support the objective of the position.
• Required to abide by all District policies and procedures, including Board Policy 3050 – Code of Professional Ethics.
  
  

• The position requires working knowledge of the matriculation and onboarding processes used for new students and policies, procedures, student services, and academic support programs.
• Requires working knowledge of the resources and materials available within the college or community to assist students in pursuing academic or vocational interests.
• Requires working knowledge of modern office practices and procedures, including filing systems, records, and privacy of information, and appointment scheduling.
• Requires working knowledge of the use of spreadsheets and/or databases for storing and transferring data.
• Requires knowledge of community college enrollment practices, including eligibility requirements for priority registration.
• Requires knowledge of proper American English language composition, syntax, grammar, usage, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation sufficient to compose specialized correspondence.
• Requires sufficient math skills to perform basic business computations, record statistical data, and follow budget and purchasing procedures.
• Requires sufficient human relations skills to facilitate group processes, deliver informal presentations, and explain technical concepts to students with diverse backgrounds.
  
  

• Requires the ability to carry out the essential responsibilities and functions of the position, providing support to students and assisting with counseling services.
• Requires the ability to identify resources, services, and programs to further assist students in vocational or academic pursuits.
• Requires the ability to give initial academic and career suggestions to prepare them for counselor conferences.
• Requires the ability to explain college policies and procedures, assist and make referrals for students with concerns and problems, and suggest available alternatives for problem resolution.
• Requires the ability to perform a variety of clerical duties, including and are not limited to scheduling and filing relating to counseling support services.
• Requires the ability to become familiar with and interpret college catalogs, program eligibility and guidelines, and career/occupational literature.
• Requires the ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with those contacted during the course of work.
• Requires the ability to be respectful of and sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of students.
  
  

• The general physical demands, working conditions, and essential job functions associated with this classification will be kept on file with the Office of Human Resources.
• Essential functions will vary by position.
• As defined by Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), the District shall engage in a timely, good faith interactive process with employees or employment applicants who are requesting or are in need of reasonable accommodations and, provide reasonable accommodations for employees or employment applicants who, because of their disability, are limited in or unable to perform one or more of the essential functions of their job in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
  
  

• The position typically requires an Associate’s degree in psychology, education, or a related field and concurrent reception/office experience.
• Or, any combination of education and experience that would meet the required equivalent qualifications for the position.
  
  

Additional experience in a counseling, career planning, or enrollment office may substitute for some post-secondary education.

AND

• Evidence of demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, geographic, gender, gender identity, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students. (California Code of Regulations Title 5 53022; Education Code Section 87360; Coast Community College District EEO Plan)
  
  

• May require a valid driver's license.
  
  

• Work is performed indoors, where minimal safety considerations exist.
  
  

Coast Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer