Career Services Advisor in Music Industry

Thornton School of Music

University of Southern California

The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music invites applicants for the position of Career Services Advisor serving undergraduate and graduate students in Music Industry and related fields. The position is full-time with an anticipated fixed hybrid work schedule of no fewer than three days per week on-site.  The position may require evening and weekend hours, as well as occasional travel, based on business necessity.

The Career Services Advisor advises students and alumni on career strategies, job search methods, employment readiness, internships and other career-related matters. Collects relevant online materials and hands-on resources (e.g., employer information, directories, resource guides) for client use. Stays current on labor market trends within the music business professional and competitive environments. Maintains and cultivates relationships with employers within the wide array of the music business sector.  Builds an active Music Industry alumni network that supports mentoring and career connections for students.  

Principal duties:

• Provides career services to students and alumni, either remotely or in person. Conducts career assessments, gathering informational resources, performing job searches, and assisting with identification and evaluation of career path options.

• Liaises between employer organizations and students, encouraging and facilitating recruitment for employment and/or internships. Stays current with Music Industry labor-market and recruiting trends, developments in varied industries, and maintains an active network of professional contacts. Maintains internship and career opportunities in career opportunities database (Thornton CareerConnect).

• Creates and administers an alumni tracking initiative, supports events and communications initiatives for Music Industry alumni.  Maintains contact with alumni to build community. Liaises with alumni for networking, employment and mentorship opportunities for students.

• Administers various interview and assessment strategies to assist students/alumni with resume development, interviewing skills, job searches, and employment readiness. Utilizes various forms of assessment tools (e.g., web, software) and provides feedback to clients based on results and practical knowledge.  Responsible for any required documentation, utilizing client tracking/case management software, if available.

• Spearheads coordination and execution of professional development opportunities (e.g., job fairs, career workshops, lectures).  Liaises and works with USC Career Center to host events/workshops/programming.

• Provides assistance to faculty, other staff, and/or management with administrative functions (e.g., project activities coordination). Attends departmental meetings and conferences, representing career services.

• Administers budget transactions for department and division career and alumni initiatives.  Attend meetings of the Division of Contemporary Music and Thornton School of Music staff.  Provide other administrative or special project support as needed and assigned.

• Promotes an environment that fosters inclusive relationships and creates unbiased opportunities for contributions through ideas, words, and actions that uphold principles of the USC Code of Ethics.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be customer-service and student experience-focused; have excellent oral and written communication skills; be detail oriented and skilled at building relationships with prospective employers; have the ability to engage with a wide array of stakeholders including students, staff, faculty, administrators, and industry representatives; possess considerable knowledge of career program logistics. Additionally, the candidate must be equally successful working independently and within a team.

The ideal candidate will also have proven success and varied experience in student careers services programming.

Candidates with knowledge of the field of music business are strongly preferred.

Effective time management, administrative, technical and organizational skills as well as strong analytical and problem-solving ability is required.

Experience working within Workday, Concur, SlideRoom, Symplicity Career Services Manager, Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel and other systems. 

Familiarity with music or performing arts curriculum objectives in higher education, is highly desired.

Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 3 years

Minimum Field of Expertise: Administrative and/or academic support services

Preferred Experience:  5 years

Preferred Field of Expertise:  Five years’ experience working in higher education

Instructions

A Cover Letter and Resume is required. Applications without a resume or cover letter will not be considered.

Salary Hiring Range

The hourly base salary range for this position is $29.41 to $33.68. 

When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external and organizational considerations.

About the USC Thornton School of Music:  Combining the benefits of a world-class conservatory and a leading research university, the USC Thornton School of Music offers students the opportunity to pursue a thorough music education in a real-world context. We offer students a full range of musical disciplines across a demanding innovative curriculum, and the opportunity to work with a faculty of national and international renown.

The USC Thornton Music Industry program prepares students to succeed in a rapidly evolving industry that is largely rooted in the Los Angeles area. The program combines classroom study with technical instruction and hands-on experience for those seeking a career in the music business.  The Music Industry program is housed within the Division of Contemporary Music and offers degrees at the undergraduate and master’s levels.

The student body at USC is extraordinarily diverse: it is racially and ethnically a majority/minority population with a full range of expressions of gender, ability and sexual identities which we embrace as a source of institutional strength and community pride. The University’s commitment to building an academic environment hospitable to this wide range of diversity is full and complete. To that end, we are seeking to create as diverse a pool of candidates as possible; one which reflects the broad diversity of identities and experiences that comprise the country as well as Thornton generally.

We pride ourselves on being a GREAT PLACE TO WORK, and that begins with our employees! We offer a wide variety of benefits and programs that support our staff and their families, including:

• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision plans, tuition assistance for our employees and their families, paid time off, flexible spending accounts, 2:1 retirement plan contributions, child care centers, and up to $50,000 housing subsidy. Also, because we are a qualifying public service organization, you may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for educational loans. Please visit usc.edu for additional information.

• Perks: Discounts to USC sporting events, USC Bookstores, wireless plans, travel, accommodations and local entertainment.

• Career Growth: We are the largest private employer in Los Angeles, offering tremendous development opportunities in multiple fields and industries.

The University of Southern California is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity.

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About University of Southern California (USC)

USC is the leading private research university in Los Angeles—a global center for arts, technology and international business. With more than 47,500 students, we are located primarily in Los Angeles but also in various US and global satellite locations. As the largest private employer in Los Angeles, responsible for $8 billion annually in economic activity in the region, we offer the opportunity to work in a dynamic and diverse environment, in careers that span a broad spectrum of talents and skills across a variety of academic and professional schools and administrative units. As a USC employee and member of the Trojan Family—the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who make USC a great place to work—you will enjoy excellent benefits, including a variety of well-being programs designed to help individuals achieve work-life balance.

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