The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), of which all Swarthmore Career Services staff are members, collects data from employers and colleges on many education and workplace topics. A task force of both college/university staff and employer members came together to create this career readiness guide to help students be aware of the skills that employers are seeking in the candidates they hire. Check it out in the link below and see where you are excelling and where you can do a little more work to become the best candidate possible (i.e. career ready!).
For the skills where you need some more practice…think about where and how you can practice this semester! Would you like to level up your Communications Skills? Take on a social media or an outreach role within a student organization. Create presentations in your courses that are easily understood by classmates and professors from a variety of academic backgrounds. Would you like to advance your Critical Thinking skills? Apply to be a manager at the Crumb Cafe (and many other campus jobs). Talk with your professors around mid-semester about how you’re exhibiting critical thinking in each of your courses. Are there improvements you’d like to make in your Teamwork skills? Listen carefully in discussion based classes. Make significant contributions to group projects. Maybe even take on a leadership role in a course or extracurricular. Would you like to level up your Career & Self Development? Talk with Alumni on SwatLink (Swarthmore’s Mentoring and Networking Community), professors and others who know you well about your goals, while also learning about their professional and academic experiences.
For the skills where you are excelling…make a list, keep notes about how and where you’ve used these skills and with what results…this will become your resume, your Linkedin profile and fodder for your conversations with professors, future employers, potential research or workplace teammates, etc. Seek out opportunities to continue to sharpen those skills. Also, add them to your Linkedin profile Skills section and practice verbally articulating to others your strengths in those areas.
To think through more options, stop in to Career Services (Parrish 135) and chat with a Career Fellow or make an appointment with a professional staff member.
