Students pursue higher education to become career ready and lead fulfilling lives. What students learn and experience in college or university helps prepare them for the workforce and life.

College helps students enter the workplace, advancing career and earning aspirations. According to a Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey, “72% of those with postgraduate educational experiences say getting a good job is their top motivation”.

Postsecondary education also helps individuals thrive and experience overall life satisfaction. College graduates who find purposeful work are reportedly ten times more likely to demonstrate well-being in life.

What Does it Mean to be Career Ready?

A student is reportedly career ready when they have the skills and tools necessary to succeed in the workplace and manage their career long-term.

Career readiness provides a foundation for higher education establishments and employers to identify and develop key skills. These skills are applicable across all fields of study and job functions.

In higher education, it is a framework to address career-related goals, as well as curricular and co-curricular outcomes. For employers, it is a framework for sourcing and developing talent.

Career Readiness Competencies

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) developed a list of eight “Career Readiness Competencies” employers seek in job applicants.

It provides a framework for students and student affairs professionals to better understand what is needed to launch a successful career. Students can demonstrate each of the following competencies in a variety of ways.

Career & Self-Development
Career and self-development involve the ability to develop oneself and career proactively and continuously. Achieving this requires introspection and awareness of one’s strengths and development areas.
It also necessitates the ambition to continuously evolve and learn personally and professionally. This learning generally includes:
- Developing a career plan and goals.
- Seeking out and participating in further education or trainings that support these goals.
- Consistently requesting and applying feedback.
- Being open to learning opportunities as they present themselves and stretch set goals.
- Establishing and maintaining relationships with people that have similar career paths and can provide guidance.
- Advocating for oneself and others.
Communication
Communication, both written and verbal, is a fundamental skill for students to learn. Clear and effective communication helps get ideas across and create relationships. It is an attribute needed for leadership roles and facilitates teamwork.
In college, communication skills can deliberately be practiced by taking the lead on a project, joining a toastmaster’s club, or taking a writing course. However, they can also be enhanced through everyday interactions. These include asking for directions on the street or writing a friend a text message.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze facts and evaluate possible solutions prior to making decisions. Being aware of the mental process in each of these situations and evaluating the outcome helps develop this key skill.
The process typically includes:
- Gathering information.
- Asking thoughtful questions.
- Making inferences.
- Reflecting on unconscious biases.
- Exploring potential solutions to a problem.
Problem solving skills indicate that an individual takes the time to evaluate the options prior to making decisions. They also demonstrate that a person will explore all options to meet a goal, anticipate and overcome potential obstacles.
Students can hone their critical thinking skills through individual course work. In a group setting, they can apply critical thinking to work out the best way to divide tasks and in what timeframe.
Equity & Inclusion
A global mindset involves the ability to equitably engage with and include people from all backgrounds and cultures. It entails demonstrating knowledge of people’s differences and contributing to inclusive practices that affect individual and systemic change.
College offers many opportunities for students to broaden their horizons. Academic courses, student organizations, sports and other co-curricular activities and events offer opportunities to practice equity and inclusion.
Specific courses that cover the empowerment of historically marginalized communities help build awareness. Further, study abroad programs provide students with the opportunity to challenge unconscious-biases and develop a global mindset.
Leadership
Leadership is the ability to identify and capitalize on individual and team strengths to achieve a common goal. It encompasses several skills including the capacity to:
Create a shared vision.
- Build relationships and trust.
- Motivate and influence others.
- Resolve conflicts.
- Delegate tasks.
- Receive and provide constructive criticism.
- Seek out and integrate feedback to inform decisions.
Many colleges and universities offer leadership and management courses. Leadership skills can also be learned by serving as the team lead on a group project. Leadership roles in student government, organizations and clubs are further ways to develop this skill.
Professionalism
Professionalism is the ability to consistently achieve high standards in a role or profession. This includes how one dresses, engages with others, and approaches a given task. Professionalism leads to success and a strong reputation in the workplace.
Individuals that display professionalism are appreciated and respected by team members because they hold themselves to high standards in all that they do. They are reliable and consistent, which improves relationships and minimizes conflict.
In college, professionalism can be learned from mentors, fellow students, and co-workers. There are also workshops that help students learn how to develop a strong work ethic, conduct themselves and dress for an interview or workplace.
Teamwork
Teamwork is a critical skill. Team environments contribute to building collaborative relationships, sharing responsibilities, and appreciating different viewpoints, skills, and backgrounds. By working towards a common goal, teaming can stimulate productivity and creativity.
Good team members are attentive listeners. They can effectively manage adversity and diversity. They are also able to compromise and are accountable for individual and team commitments.
In college there are many ways to learn teamwork. These include, playing sports, being part of a student organization or participating in a team project.
Technology
Technology permeates the workplace. Many job listings require applicants to be digital literates. This includes leveraging technology to improve efficiency in strategic processes and increase productivity in everyday tasks.
The ability to navigate technology is key to most jobs. It is used to complete specific tasks, manipulate information, and construct ideas, and is constantly evolving. Job candidates are expected to quickly adopt and adapt to new technologies.
In college there are many opportunities to understand and use technology. Databases, web, and mobile applications, are the primary ways in which information is acquired, manipulated, and stored. Being able to navigate multiple types of software (e.g., Microsoft office, email management, online meetings, social media, and digital document software) is essential.

The Importance of Student Affairs

Student affairs professionals use the NACE Career Ready Competencies as a framework to prepare students for postgraduate success. They help students develop and articulate academic and co-curricular accomplishments to demonstrate career readiness.

According to the Association of American Colleges & Universities, students that work with career services are more likely to:

Find a job quickly.
Find their profession fulfilling.
Say that their alma mater prepared them for post-graduate life.
Donate to their alma mater.

Further, high impact practices such as career readiness programs and co-curricular transcripts are great tools for developing career readiness. They help develop clear pathways for students based on career goals and are a great way for prospective employers to measure a candidate’s core competencies.

Building career readiness in students is among the top goals of colleges. It is something to monitor and develop throughout the student lifecycle and sets students up for post-graduate success. It provides students with the power to map out their career path and enhances their ability to find purposeful work and lives.

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