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Are you Career-Ready?
The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) is committed to supporting students in their journey to becoming career-ready and prepared for the world of work. In collaboration with Montgomery County educators, we developed an initiative called Hire U that contains a shared set of career readiness competencies which reflect the key behaviors that employers, across all industries and functional areas, are seeking in graduates entering the world of work. Students are encouraged to seek experiences both in and out of the classroom which will help to develop these competencies. The development of these skill sets, in addition to completion of a college degree and participation in meaningful experiential learning experiences, will help students become prepared, competitive, and ready to thrive in the world of work.
Read our blog post on career readiness on the DiscoverUSG News Blog.
CAREER READINESS Competencies
SKIlls Employers Seek
What skills do employers seek in job candidates? According to the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE), employers seek the skills below listed in order of importance.*
Attributes Employers Seek on a Candidate's Resume
| Ability to work in a team | 78.0% |
| Problem solving skills | 77.3% |
| Communication skills (written) | 75.0% |
| Strong work ethic | 72.0% |
| Communication skills (verbal) | 70.5% |
| Leadership | 68.9% |
| Initiative | 65.9% |
| Analytical/quantitative skills | 64.4% |
| Flexibility/adaptability | 63.6% |
| Detail-oriented | 62.1% |
| Interpersonal skills (relates well to others) | 58.3% |
| Technical skills | 56.8% |
| Computer skills | 49.2% |
| Organizational ability | 47.7% |
| Strategic planning skills | 37.9% |
| Friendly/outgoing personality | 25.8% |
| Tactfulness | 25.8% |
| Creativity | 21.2% |
| Entrepreneurial skills/risk-taker | 19.7% |
| Fluency in a foreign language | 4.5% |
*Source: Job Outlook 2017, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Career Readiness Resources for Students & Faculty
Developing Your Competencies:
Recommended Activities For Students
Students are encouraged to look for our career competency event identifiers (included in all CISC event descriptions) as a means of identifying activities which will help develop proficiency in specific career competency areas. In addition to our Career Center events, students can participate in a wide variety of activities both on- and off-campus to develop career competencies. A list of examples is provided below:
Activities to Help Develop Career Competencies
1. Participation in Workshops
2. Virtual Training Sessions/Online Learning
3. Leadership Roles
4. Internships and Co-ops
5. Study Abroad Experiences
6. Participating in Student Clubs/Organizations
7. Giving a Speech
8. Working on a Team Project
9. Research Experiences
10. Networking
11. Writing a Proposal, Report, or Dissertation
12. Job Shadowing
Career Competency Event & Activity Identifiers
CS = Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
OC = Oral & Written Communication
DT = Digital Technology
TC = Teamwork & Collaboration
L = Leadership
EI = Equity & Inclusion
CD = Career Development
PW = Personal Well-being
PE = Professionalism & Work Ethic