Employment and Training Counselor I - Promotional

Position Information

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Human Services Department (HSD) has requested a department promotional certification to fill multiple English and Bilingual (English/Spanish) positions at either the Employment and Training Counselor I or II levels. If you are interested in being considered at the II level, you must apply to the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted at that level. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Human Services Department employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

As an Employment and Training Counselor I, you will be responsible for providing intensive coaching and case management to clients who need assistance providing a safe and stable home for themselves and their families. Counselors work with clients to understand their goals and determine what services they need to improve their income, skill, and/or housing stability. Additional responsibilities include:

• Providing outreach, assessment, case management, and wrap-around supportive services that assist with goal planning, career development, training, job searching, and barrier reduction
• Working collaboratively with Eligibility Specialists, Social Workers, employers, and other community partner organizations to assist mutual clients
• Interviewing clients struggling with social, emotional, financial, medical, and/or family problems in order to develop background and create an assessment of needs
• Counseling clients to identify personal strengths and potential barriers, and assisting in setting priorities and defining employment related goals
• Providing clients experiencing crises such as homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, and/or domestic abuse with intensive services and resources
• Explaining program rules and regulations and highlighting available services
• Inputting data into CalSAWS/CalJOBS and other caseload management systems
• Collaborating with team members and employers to place clients in subsidized work experience programs

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• Experience providing counseling or social work services
• Knowledge of job seeking practices, labor market trends, and community resources
• Experience in case management practices and developing case plans
• The ability to work and collaborate with a wide variety of clients, partners, and community organizations
• Experience working with culturally and economically diverse groups and clients facing social, health, or economic challenges
• A familiarity with Safety-Net programs and available services, including CalSAWS, MEDS, and CalJOBS
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment with the ability to shift gears quickly
• Excellent customer service skills

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of coursework, training, and/or work experience that clearly demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, that would include:

Employment and Training Counselor I

Option 1: Completion of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the behavioral sciences such as psychology, social work, sociology, counseling or related field and at least six months experience providing counseling or social work services, or

Option 2: Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units at an accredited college including at least 18 semester or 24 quarter units in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, or other related fields and the equivalent of two years of experience as an Employment and Training Specialist.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The positions advertised on this announcement do not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Special Requirement: Designated positions may require the ability to speak, read, and write a language in addition to English.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge and understanding of: basic principles of sociology, psychology, group and family dynamics, and related subjects; career, vocational and employment counseling theories and techniques; principles and methods of effective interviewing, job search, and goal setting; principles and practices of ethical assessment testing; Federal, State and County employment and training programs, policies, rules, codes, and regulations; current economic conditions in the local community and regional area including current employment and labor practices and employment trends; socioeconomic problems, cultural difference, language and other barriers to employment associated with various ethnic or disadvantaged segments of the community; problem solving and motivational techniques to assist clients in analyzing their strengths and problems to work toward mutually agreed upon goals; factors which support individual and family self-sufficiency, especially as related to employment and training; public and private community agencies and resources available to meet client needs.

Ability to: effectively interview clients from diverse backgrounds to obtain facts and to recognize relevant case information; identify employment and social service needs and the resources available to meet the needs; assist clients in recognizing barriers and using strengths to obtain and/or retain education and/or employment; secure the trust and cooperation of clients needing personal, vocational and educational counseling; plan, design, and conduct orientations and relevant training, seminars, and workshops; develop and take necessary action to implement employment and training plans; administer and interpret vocational, aptitude, and interest surveys and tests; interpret, explain and apply complex laws and regulations; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, and to deal tactfully and work effectively with clients, co-workers, team members, community groups, private and public agency employees, and the general public.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How To Apply

Applications are accepted online at: www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: EP
HR Tech: VH

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: General*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 1/6/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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