Career Readiness
November 16, 2018
Helping college students prepare for a successful transition into the workplace is dependent on a few competencies that will help them be successful.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has defined "career readiness" as the, "attainment and demonstration of requisite competencies that broadly prepare college graduates for a successful transition into the workplace."
A brief summary of each competency is listed below:
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
- Analyze issues, make decisions & overcome problems
- Ability to understand, interpret and utilize knowledge or data in decision making
- Demonstrate inventiveness
Oral/Written Communications
- Ability to effectively speak and write to person both in/outside of the organization
- Utilize public speaking skills
- Write memos, letters and technical reports
Teamwork/Collaboration
- Collaborate across race, age, gender, lifestyle, religion and viewpoints
- Able to work across team structures and manage conflict
Digital Technology
- Leverage technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems
- Showcase ability to adapt to new and emerging technologies
Leadership
- Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals
- Use skills to coach, develop, guide and motivate others
- Show ability to organize, prioritize and delegate work
Professionalism/Work Ethic
- Demonstrate accountability and effective work habits
- Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior
- Able to learn from their mistakes and works responsibly with interests of organization in mind
Career Management
- Identify and articulate one's skills, strengths, knowledge and experiences
- Identify areas of personal growth
- Understands how to actively self-advocate and seek professional growth opportunities
Global/Intercultural Fluency
- Value, respect and learn from diverse cultures, experiences, lifestyles and perspectives
- Demonstrate openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and ability to interact respectfully