Are you career-ready?

One of the main goals as an LSU student is to obtain a degree that prepares you for your future career, but how do you bridge the gap when the degree alone is not enough?

Career competencies are skills that employers consider to be important for new hires. Career-readiness involves the identification, attainment, and demonstration of those competencies.

The eight career competencies below have been consistently identified by employers worldwide to be the most critical skills for recent graduates as reported by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

 

 

Make career-readiness a reality by graduation with these steps: 

1. Familiarize yourself with the eight competencies as soon as possible. The videos and definitions below provide a great starting point! Meet with our team in the LSU Olinde Career Center to discuss the competencies in depth and understand how you can develop them in tangible ways.
2. Make the most of your on-campus involvement and part-time jobs by strategically choosing activities that help you develop the competencies. Volunteer for roles in your class or club group projects that will help you practice specific competencies.
3. Find mentors who are skilled in the competencies you wish to develop and ask for advice. This could be an upperclassman, a leader in a club you are involved in, a family member or friend of your family, or even a faculty member.
4. Keep a record detailing instances where you have practiced and demonstrated each competency. Save this with your resume and use it to update your resume when applying for jobs.
5. Determine which competencies are most important to your intended career. Our team can assist with this, and you can reach out to individuals in your career field of choice to see which competencies they rely on the most. 
6. Market your competencies to employers at recruiting events and in job interviews. Be prepared to weave the career competencies and examples of how you have demonstrated them into networking conversations with recruiters and into interview answers. We offer mock interviews and one-on-one meetings to assist with this preparation. 

The Eight Career Competencies:

 

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems. The individual is able to obtain, interpret, and use knowledge, facts, and data in this process, and may demonstrate originality and inventiveness.

 

 

Oral/Written Communications: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms to persons inside and outside of the organization. The individual has public speaking skills; is able to express ideas to others; and can write/edit memos, letters, and complex technical reports clearly and effectively.

 

 

Teamwork/Collaboration: Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers representing diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints. The individual is able to work within a team structure, and can negotiate and manage conflict.

 

 

Digital Technology: Leverage existing digital technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. The individual demonstrates effective adaptability to new and emerging technologies.

 

 

Leadership: Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals, and use interpersonal skills to coach and develop others. The individual is able to assess and manage his/her emotions and those of others; use empathetic skills to guide and motivate; and organize, prioritize, and delegate work.

 

 

Professionalism/Work Ethic: Demonstrate personal accountability and effective work habits, e.g., punctuality, working productively with others, and time workload management, and understand the impact of non-verbal communication on professional work image. The individual demonstrates integrity and ethical behavior, acts responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind, and is able to learn from his/her mistakes.

 

 

Career Management: Identify and articulate your skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences relevant to the position desired and career goals, and identify areas necessary for professional growth. The individual is able to navigate and explore job options, understands and can take the steps necessary to pursue opportunities, and understands how to self-advocate for opportunities in the workplace.

 

 

Global/Intercultural Fluency: Value, respect, and learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. The individual demonstrates, openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people and understand individuals’ differences.