Career and Professional Development Student Support & Programming Graduate Assistant

North Central College; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A respected higher education institution in Naperville, Illinois, is seeking a Graduate Assistant for Career and Professional Development. This role involves providing career education, one-on-one coaching, and developing resources for students. The ideal candidate must be accepted into a graduate program and possess strong communication and organizational skills. This position offers hands-on experience in student support and program development, ensuring that students receive the necessary guidance to prepare for their careers.

Qualifications

• Strong interest in student development and career education.
• Ability to conduct one-on-one coaching and workshops.
• Demonstrated support for diverse student populations.
• Ability to coach students one-on-one, run drop-in hours, and facilitate workshops.
• Commitment to engaging diverse student populations and supporting inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Provide career-related guidance to students during drop-in hours.
• Host individualized career coaching appointments.
• Develop and deliver tailored career programming.
• Assist with Cardinal Career Closet operations, inventory, marketing, and usage tracking.
• Develop training materials and resources (handouts, slides, worksheets) for students.
• Provide administrative support for Handshake and other career platforms.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Understanding of diverse student needs

Resume/LinkedIn coaching

Resource creation

Education

Graduate program acceptance at North Central College

Job description

Career and Professional Development Student Support & Programming Graduate Assistant

Position Title: Career and Professional Development Student Support & Programming Graduate Assistant

Position Summary

The Student Support & Programming Graduate Assistant will enhance the Center for Career & Professional Development’s capacity to deliver high-quality, student-centered career education. In this role, the GA provides one-on‑one coaching, staffs drop‑in hours, leads tailored workshops, and supports core departmental operations. The GA also assists with the development of career resources, supports the Cardinal Career Closet’s operations, and represents the CCPD at campus events. Through these responsibilities, the GA helps ensure students have the guidance, tools, and confidence needed to explore career options, build professional skills, and prepare for internships, jobs, and post‑graduate opportunities.

Essential Functions

• Consult with students during Drop‑In Center hours to provide career‑related guidance, including resume and cover letter reviews, Handshake and LinkedIn profile consultations, and internship/job search strategy sessions.
• Host individualized, one‑on‑one career coaching appointments with students.
• Develop and deliver career programming tailored for identity‑based student groups (first‑gen, students of color, LGBTQ+, commuters, international, students with disabilities, transfers, etc.).
• Serve as a visible ambassador to help students navigate career resources and build confidence in the career preparation process.
• Support and represent the Center for Career & Professional Development at various campus events (admitted student days, Rall Symposium, tabling events, etc.).
• Support Associate Director with ongoing operations and student engagement efforts for the Cardinal Career Closet (inventory, marketing, outreach, and student usage tracking).
• Build and pilot virtual drop‑in hours to expand accessibility for commuter and graduate students.
• Assist in developing training and professional development learning opportunities for Career Peer Advisor Team.
• Create or update student‑facing resources (e.g. handouts, slide decks, worksheets) on topics related to resumes, cover letters, job/internship search, networking, and interviewing.
• Provide administrative support for the College’s primary job and internship platform: Handshake.
• Other duties as assigned.

Opportunities for Graduate Students

The Career and Professional Development Student Support & Programming Graduate Assistant will begin in Fall 2026.

Graduate students in the Higher Education Leadership program will gain hands‑on experience in student support, coaching, and program development. This role provides meaningful opportunities to apply theories of student development and career coaching practice through direct support to students, workshop facilitation, and campus partnerships.

Graduate students in the Organizational Leadership program will engage in designing and delivering training for student staff, supporting operational processes, and collaborating with campus offices. The role provides opportunities to apply leadership theories related to team development, organizational culture, communication, and student engagement.

Graduate students in the MBA program will deepen skills in communication, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement. They will contribute to program development, help refine resource materials, and participate in career‑related initiatives that support student career readiness.

Job Qualifications

• Accepted into a graduate program at North Central College.
• Strong interest in student development, career education, and/or higher education administration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, interpersonal, and analytical skills.
• Ability to provide direct service to students through one‑on‑one coaching, drop‑in consultations, and workshop facilitation.
• Demonstrated ability to support diverse student populations, with an awareness of identity‑informed needs and a commitment to student engagement.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple programs, projects, and student engagement initiatives simultaneously.
• Familiarity with career development topics such as resume writing, job and internship search strategies, graduate school planning, interviewing, and LinkedIn/Handshake (training provided to successful candidate).
• Proficiency in creating or updating student‑facing resources such as handouts, slide decks, and worksheets.

EEO Statement

North Central College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. North Central College provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need reasonable accommodation, please notify the Office of Human Resource. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis.

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the answer that best describes your student work authorization:
  • I am authorized to work for any US employer and can provide documentation, if hired.
  • I am an international student with a US social security number authorized for campus work.
  • I am an international student and will need to apply for a US social security number, if hired.
  • I cannot provide US work authorization.