Career Competencies

Career Competencies are the foundational skills that help you succeed in the workforce. USI Career Services can help students, faculty, and employers identify ways students can develop these key skills.

NACE, the National Association of Colleges and Employers states, "For new college graduates, career readiness is key to ensuring successful entrance into the workforce. Career readiness is the foundation upon which a successful career is launched. Career readiness is, quite simply, the new career currency.

For higher education, career readiness provides a framework for addressing career-related goals and outcomes of curricular and extracurricular activities, regardless of the student’s field of study. For employers, career readiness plays an important role in sourcing talent, providing a means of identifying key skills and abilities across all job functions; similarly, career readiness offers employers a framework for developing talent through internship and other experiential education programs". The eight NACE Career Readiness Competencies as of 2021 are listed below.

Career and Self Development
Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.

Communication
Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.

Critical Thinking
Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.

Equity & Inclusion
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.

Leadership
Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.

Professionalism
Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.

Teamwork
Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.

Technology
Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.

Reprinted courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers naceweb.org/career-readiness-competencies