Department: Center for Career Development
Category: Student Affairs and Services
Full-Time / Part-Time: Full-Time

Overview

The Associate Director focuses on providing advising, guidance, and programming on legal careers and the law school application process for students and alumni. In addition, as a portion of their portfolio, this position provides support for services and resources for the graduate student population in exploring career paths both within and outside academe. This role reports to the Director of Career Advising and Exploration, and collaborates closely with the Senior Associate Director for Graduate Student Career Development.

The Associate Director advises students and alumni according to our career advising philosophy that aligns with and leverages the core tenets of a liberal arts education and our office’s model focused on self-exploration and lifelong career management. This holistic model involves both one-on-one career advising and an educational/curricular framework. In addition to providing one-on-one advising for students and alumni, the person in this role facilitates pre-law workshops and events, contributes to development and maintenance of our office pre-law career resources, and provides career development events and resources for graduate students.

This position is a two year term position with the possiblity of renewal. 

Responsibilities

Pre-Law Advising and General Career Advising – 60%

• Facilitate one-on-one in-person and virtual (phone/Skype) pre-law career advising appointments with students and alumni who are preparing to apply to law school. Advising ranges from general professional and skill building preparation, considering relevant internships, jobs, and post-graduate fellowships to continue the exploration of law and its various specialties, preparing resumes, personal statements, and completing application materials, selecting law schools to apply to, selecting and preparing recommenders, admissions interview preparation, advising relating to professional communication during the application process, and preparing students to matriculate to law school.
• Meet individually or in groups with students who are undecided in their career plans to provide coaching and advising to help students clarify values, interests, skills, and strengths.
• Assist students and alumni with the development of action plans and follow-up strategy based on a series of progressive meetings.
• Dedicate consistent time to relevant appointment preparation, follow up, and maintenance of appointment schedule and student and alumni records in the Handshake system.

Graduate Student Events, Resources, and Advising – 25%

• In collaboration with and under the direction of the Senior Associate Director for Graduate Student Career Development, plan and implement a slate of career development events tailored to the PhD student population.
• Create and update materials and resources specifically targeted to PhD students.
• Undertake special projects related to graduate student career development, as prioritized by the Senior Associate Director.
• Provide 1:1 guidance to graduate students through drop-in advising appointments

Additional Responsibilities – 15%

• Facilitate 3-5 pre-law career programs for students and alumni each year.
• Collaborate with colleagues and campus partners including the Fellowship Advising office to support student and alumni pre-law needs, which could include facilitating an occasional training session to build staff pre-law skills.
• Manage relationships and collaborate with law school partners to support, publicize, and attend their information sessions.
• Maintain broader knowledge of evolving pre-law field and requirements and apply this to create and refresh student and alumni pre-law materials as relevant.
• Attend and actively participate in relevant Career Advising and Center for Career Development team meetings and retreats.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s Degree required; J.D. or Ph.D. preferred
• Two or more years of experience in undergraduate career counseling/advising, program development, and instruction/training strongly preferred
• A passion for advising college students, graduate students, and young adults
• Skilled at providing a developmental, goal-oriented, and motivational approach to all interactions with students and alumni
• Demonstrated understanding of the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace and in all interactions with all constituents and stakeholders
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to deliver effective presentations to diverse audiences, and build internal and external relationships, including building relationships at a distance
• Knowledge of best practices within career development and the ability to tailor, adapt and evolve such practices to a complex, fast-paced, and evolving organization
• Strong attention to detail and experience managing complex and nuanced programs
• Ability to solve problems and make decisions in a timely and effective manner
• Ability to manage changing technologies, social media, and communications, including conducting phone and Skype appointments and utilizing the Handshake system
• Comfort with change, ambiguity, and risk in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to gather, interpret and report data
• Flexibility and an entrepreneurial spirit
• Strong Interest Inventory and CliftonStrengths experience and certifications preferred

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW