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% |