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• Career and Self-Development

  Defined:

  • Knowing one’s strengths, knowledge base, and assets - how to bring these skills to the position and work environment
  • Knowing one’s weaknesses and areas of potential growth- advocating for opportunities to build upon these areas​

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Join a professional organization​

  • Participate in information sessions or training opportunities​

  • Enroll in Professional Development course​

  • Establish and maintain professional relationships (networking)​

  • Develop plans and goals for future career​

  Resources:

  • 9 Ways To Improve Your Personal Development Skills

  • 36 Examples of Personal Development Goals for Your Career & Life

  • Personal Development and Career Management

• Communication

  Defined:

  • Being able to clearly articulate and communicate information in a professional setting through verbal, written and non-verbal formats

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Learn how to create a professional resume and cover letter

  • Participate in mock interviews

  • Develop and deliver a presentation for a class

  • Engage in active listening and respond with appropriate questions

  • Enroll in a Communications course

  • Give and receive feedback in a respectful manner

  Resources:

  • 7 important workplace communication skills

  • 10 Communication Skills for Career Success

  • Communication Skills: 10 Effective Communication Skills to Learn 

• Critical Thinking

  Defined:

  • Being able to address a problem or issue by using reasoning skills, analyzing data, developing solutions and assessing possible outcomes

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Get involved on campus to show effective communication and prioritization of tasks

  • Collaborate with others through projects, clubs and events

  • Participate in a study abroad trip or exchange program

  • Conduct an undergraduate research project

  • Analyze a project or problem through different perspectives to identify multiple outcomes and/or impacts

  Resources:

  • Critical Thinking Skills: Definition, Examples & How to Improve

  • What’s the Importance of Critical Thinking in the Workplace?

  • Why Critical Thinking Skills Are Important in the Workplace 

• Equity and Inclusion

  Defined:

  • Being able to work effectively in teams with diverse backgrounds and cultural differences through openness, kindness and inclusiveness of others

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Identify ways to include others in conversations and projects

  • Enroll in courses associated with multi-cultural understanding, international studies or a foreign language

  • Participate in a study abroad trip or exchange program Engage in programs and activities offered by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

  • Engage in programs and activities offered by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

  • Advocate for inclusion and equitable practices in campus initiatives

  • Keep an open mind to diverse perspectives or different ways of thinking

  Resources:

  • Cultural Competence: The Nuts & Bolts of Diversity & Inclusion

  • How to Integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Into Everyday Operations

  • What Does Cultural Competency Look Like in the Workplace?

• Leadership

  Defined:

  • Being able to recognize the key strengths of each team member and encourage everyone to work together towards a common goal

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Organize and deliver activities on campus

  • Seek out leadership roles in organizations, clubs or teams

  • Join the National Society of Leadership and Success

  • Become a peer mentor or buddy to new students

  • Inspire others to lead through volunteer activities

  • Controlling emotions during times of conflict or debate

  Resources:

  • The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around the World

  • Top 10 Qualities of Effective Leadership in the Workplace (& How To Implement Them)

  • What Do Leaders in Different Fields Need to Succeed?

• Professionalism

  Defined:

  • Being able to take responsibility for actions, learning from mistakes, communicating with others and demonstrating ethical integrity in the workplace

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Acknowledge when you make mistakes and how you can learn from them

  • Working on or off campus

  • Participate in internship opportunities

  • Conduct an undergraduate research project

  • Be present and prepared for classes or meetings with professors

  • Show a high level of dedication to doing a good job

  Resources:

  • 10 Characteristics of Professionalism in the Workplace

  • Developing Your Professional Image

  • How to Be More Professional at Work

• Teamwork

  Defined:

  • Being able to work effectively with colleagues who have different cultures, lifestyles and viewpoints

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Get involved on campus

  • Collaborate with others through projects, clubs and events

  • Volunteer or participate in Alternative Spring Break opportunities

  • Join a team; athletic, intramural, academic

  • Establish and maintain professional relationships (networking)

  • Use your personal strengths and talent to complement others

  Resources:

  • Important Teamwork Skills That Employers Value

  • Teamwork Skills: Definition and Examples

  • Improve Your Teamwork Skills

• Technology

  Defined:

  • Being able to increase efficiency in the workplace by demonstrating competency in technology to work through issues and achieve goals

  
  Ways to showcase this competency:

  • Create professional accounts in LinkedIn, Handshake

  • Utilize campus resources to become proficient in other areas (Excel, Rstudio, Canva...)

  • Maintain social media accounts for self and student organizations

  • Utilize Big Interview to practice interview techniques

  • Identify appropriate technology to support specific tasks

  Resources:

  • Important Computer Skills for Workplace Success

  • The Importance of Digital Skills in the Workplace

  • Improving Your Computer Literacy: Everything You Need to Know

   
  
  

* Icons Adapted with permission from NACE’s Curated Resources for Teaching and Assessing Career Readiness Competencies- 2022