Career Readiness Competencies
听Are you Career Ready?
As you navigate your college experience and make important decisions on your career path, the Rocket Career Center is here to help you build skills or 鈥渃ompetencies鈥� that help you become more career-ready. Building competencies, and behaviors associated with each competency, will help you stand out when job searching and show the听employers听that you are on top of your game!鈥�听
Your college career is a time to learn, grow, and develop competencies that will help
you thrive in your community and career. Don鈥檛 wait until your last year to start
thinking about your career and building competencies to help you reach your goals鈥攕tart
now! Your freshman year is a great time to begin outlining your involvement and developing
your brand.鈥�
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The National Association of Colleges and Employers defines career readiness through eight career competencies identified by employers as critical skills or competencies they seek in job candidates.鈥�听
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How can you build this skill?
- 听Make an appointment with your Career Consultant听
- Apply for on-campus positions听via Handshake
- Fill out the SkillSurvey during your on-campus position
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Career and Self-Evaluation听
Proactively develop oneself and 辞苍别鈥檚 career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of 辞苍别鈥檚 strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships听within and听without听辞苍别鈥檚 organization.听
Behaviors听
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Show an awareness of your own strengths and areas for development听听
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Identify听areas for continual growth while pursuing and applying feedback
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Develop plans and goals for 辞苍别鈥檚 future career听
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Professionally advocate for oneself and others听
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Display听curiosity:听seek out opportunities to learn
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Assume positions that will help you progress professionally听
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HOW CAN YOU BUILD THIS SKILL?
- 听Write听articles and post on LinkedIn听
- Visit the Writing Center
- Offer to present in your class projects听
- Join Toastmasters听
- Take a public speaking course at听果冻传媒听
- Present at听a听conference听
- Find an on-campus job听
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听COMMUNICATION听
Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with people inside and outside of an organization.听
Behaviors听
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Understand the importance of and听demonstrate听verbal, written, and non-verbal/body language, abilities
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Employ active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills听
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Communicate in a clear and organized manner so that others can effectively understand听听
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Frame communication with respect to the diversity of learning styles, varied individual communication abilities, and cultural differences
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HOW CAN YOU BUILD THIS SKILL?
- Get involved in undergraduate听research听
- Apply to volunteer at a non-profit听
- Ask to summarize and analyze data in your current job or internship.听听
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- Student Opportunity Center听(SOC)听
CRITICAL THINKING/PROBLEM SOLVING听
Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.听
Behaviors听
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Make decisions and solve problems using sound, inclusive听reasoning听and judgment.听听
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Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.听听
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Proactively听anticipate听needs and prioritize action steps.听听
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Accurately summarize and interpret data with an awareness of personal biases that may听impact听outcomes
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HOW CAN YOU BUILD THIS SKILL?
- Consider听a study-abroad experience听听
- Looking into City Year and听PeaceCorps听experiences听
- Visit the Center for Black Excellence or the Office of Multi-Cultural Student Success.听听
- Attend听diversity听events on-campus to gain a broader perspective听and receive a听Diversity Certificate.听听
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- Learn to be an Ally for various听marginalized听communities听
- Attend History and Heritage month activities
听EQUITY AND INCLUSION听
Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism.听
Behaviors听
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Solicit and use feedback from multiple cultural perspectives to make inclusive and equity-minded decisions.听听
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Actively contribute to inclusive and听equitable听practices that influence individual and systemic change.听听
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Advocate for inclusion,听equitable听practices, justice, and empowerment for historically marginalized communities.听听
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Seek global听cross-cultural听interactions and experiences that enhance听辞苍别鈥檚听understanding of people from different demographic groups and that lead to personal growth听听
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Keep an open mind to diverse ideas and new ways of thinking.听听
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Identify听resources and听eliminate听barriers resulting from individual and systemic racism, inequities, and biases
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How Can You Build This Skills?听
- Apply for an internship or other听experiential听learning options on Handshake听and Student Opportunity听Center听
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- Apply for student leadership roles at Recreational Services, Orientation Leader, or Resident Assistant.听
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- Join the 听
Leadership听
听Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.听
Behaviors听
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Inspire, persuade, and motivate self and others under a shared vision
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Seek out and听leverage听diverse resources and feedback from others to inform the direction听
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Use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods听
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Serve as a role model to others by approaching tasks with confidence and a positive attitude
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Motivate and inspire others by encouraging them and by building mutual trust听
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Plan,听initiate, manage,听complete,听and evaluate projects
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HOW CAN YOU BUILD THIS SKILLS?听
- Apply for an internship or听experiential听learning opportunity through Handshake听or Student Opportunity Canter听
- Create a听LinkedIn听account to network with employers and alumni.听听
- Attend a career or job fair to build your brand and network.听听
- Apply for an on-campus job and听participate听in SkillSurvey for constructive feedback
- Visit听Rocket Style听to increase your professional wear听wardrobe听
听PROFESSIONALISM听
Knowing work environments differ greatly,听understanding,听and听demonstrating听effective work habits, and听act听in the interest of the larger community and workplace.
Behaviors
- Act equitably with integrity and accountability to self, others, and the organization
- Maintain a positive personal brand in alignment with organizational and personal career values
- Be present and prepared
- Demonstrate dependability (e.g., report consistently for work or meetings)
- Prioritize and complete tasks to accomplish organizational goals
- Consistently meet or exceed goals and expectations
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How Can You Build THis Skill?
Participate in Club or Intramural sports through Recreational Services听
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Apply for an on-campus job where you work in a team
Participate in group projects in class
Teamwork
Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
Behaviors听
- Listen carefully to others, taking time to understand and ask appropriate questions without interrupting
- Effectively manage conflict, interact with and respect diverse personalities, and meet ambiguity with resilience
- Be accountable for individual and team responsibilities and deliverables
- Employ personal strengths, knowledge, and talents to complement those of others
- Exercise the ability to compromise and be agile
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HOW CAN YOU BUILD THIS SKILLS?听
- Take a digital technology course at 果冻传媒
- Visit the computer labs
- Take LinkedIn Learning courses that enhance your technology
- Join the 果冻传媒 eSports program
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- Apply for an on-campus job in IT or other departments that use technology
TECHNOLOGY听
Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.听
Behaviors
- Navigate change and be open to learning new technologies
- Use technology to improve the efficiency and productivity of their work
- Identify appropriate technology for completing specific tasks
- Manage technology to integrate information to support relevant, effective, and timely decision-making
- Quickly adapt to new or unfamiliar technologies
- Manipulate information, construct ideas, and use technology to achieve strategic goals
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NACE. (2021).听What is career readiness?.听National Association of Colleges and Employers.听听听
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