1. A college senior works on a laptop.
    Four Years Later: 2020 First-Year College Students are Graduating

    Despite the changes caused by COVID-19, some employers and educators have reinstituted traditional recruiting practices that may now present barriers to students impacted by the pandemic.

  2. A group of professionals review some charts.
    Recruiters and Students Have Differing Perceptions of New Grads’ Proficiency in Competencies

    Although new college graduates looking to enter the workforce and employers hiring these graduates agree on which competencies are most important for job candidates to hone, their perception of student proficiency in them differs.

  3. Two women collaborate at a computer.
    Yale OCS Online Career Tool Applies Design-Thinking Principles, Is Open to Anyone

    The Yale Office of Career Strategy enlisted the help of key partners to create an assessment tool that incorporates design-thinking principles and is available to everyone, not just Yale students and alums.

  4. Strategic Approaches to Integrating Career Readiness Competencies
    Strategic Approaches to Integrating Career Readiness Competencies

    Strategic Approaches to Integrating Career Readiness Competencies, developed by the NACE Career Integration Task Force, identifies strategies and practices for integrating career readiness skills and competencies institution-wide and examines how career readiness informs skills-based hiring. The publication also identifies further areas for research.

  5. A group of college graduates.
    College Educations: If Graduates Had It to Do Over Again, Nearly All Would

    New college graduates embrace the value of higher education, with 91% reporting that, if they had a chance to do it again, they would opt to pursue a college education.

  6. Two young professionals work together at a computer.
    McPherson Links Campus Jobs to Career Readiness Competencies

    To make McPherson College students aware of the skills they are developing during their campus jobs, Amy Beckman incorporated career readiness competencies into student job descriptions and supervision.

  7. A person is pictured drawing on a wall.
    UC San Diego Passport Program Helps Students Create Their Own Career and Life Roadmap

    The University of California, San Diego Career Center developed the Triton Career Readiness Passport to help students launch a personal career journey by answering a simple question: Why?

  8. An illustration of college graduates and young professionals navigating around large books, screens and diplomas.
    Engaging Faculty the Key Component to Success of Georgia State’s Career Readiness Initiative

    Getting faculty buy in, having liaisons in different departments, and having the faculty be program champions was the key to the success of Georgia State’s “College to Career” career readiness initiative.

  9. Kathleen Powell of William and Mary.
    W&M’s Professional Development Academy Expands to Create Foundations Course, Evolves Into Week-long Event

    While moving to a virtual world and with little experience using virtual tools, William & Mary career center staff connected students and alumni by creating the Professional Development Academy.

  10. A group of students and faculty.
    CUNY SPS Aligns General Education, Liberal Studies Curricula With Career Competencies

    CUNY SPS recognized that certain curricula could better communicate to students how their courses address career competencies and the significance of the competencies in achieving career success.

  11. A row of block with icons on them.
    IMPLEMENTING COMPETENCIES AT BYU HELPS STUDENTS UNDERSTAND, ARTICULATE EDUCATION IN JOB SEARCH AND CAREER

    BYU works to help students understand that they have these transferable skills and competencies that can be used in a variety of ways in a variety of situations.

  12. A group of interns in a meeting.
    MOHAWK INDUSTRIES SEES TREMENDOUS VALUE IN CONNECTING COLLEGE TO CAREER FOR STUDENTS

    Mohawk Industries believes it has a responsibility to do what it can to support the transition of students to the workplace, which is just one of the reasons its ASPIRE program is so important.

  13. A group of students work together on a project.
    Embedding Competencies Helps Ensure Students Develop Skills to Achieve Desired Career Outcomes

    To prepare students for their transition to the workforce, career centers have to account for the standards of professionalism shifting over the past several years.

  14. Two Saxby's employees at work.
    SAXBYS BREWS UP EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAM STRONGLY INFUSED WITH COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

    Through its Experiential Learning Platform™, Saxbys builds individualized academic partnerships to open cafes that provide exceptional paid experiential learning opportunities for students.

  15. Two wooden people figurines with graduation caps on a desk top.
    University of Redlands’ Career Faculty Fellows Program Embeds Career Into Curriculum

    The University of Redlands’ Career Faculty Fellows Program was launched in 2019 to help the institution scale career services and embed career preparedness more intentionally into the curriculum.

  16. A group of college students sitting in a row.
    Better Together: How Industry and Academia Can Co-Support Students’ Career Readiness

    When it comes to the development of college students’ career readiness, industry should be complementary to and support career services professionals and faculty, explain Liz Moran and Lynn Letukas of SAS.

  17. A composite illustration of people figurines on top of books.
    NYU’s Wasserman Center Integrates Wellness and Career Readiness in First-year Course

    Skill development and early engagement are key priorities of New York University’s (NYU’s) Wasserman Center for Career Development. It addressed both of these priorities by developing a program that embedded career readiness competencies in a course for first-year students.

  18. People silhouettes superimposed over a source of light.
    Wake Forest Competency Model Helps Alumni Navigate Early Years of Work and Life

    There has been a shift in the requirements of the labor market. Twenty-first century careers demand executive-functioning mindsets and tactical and relational skills, says Allison McWilliams, Ph.D.

  19. A computer science student works on her computer.
    The Importance of Career Competencies in Work-Related Experiential Activities for Engineering and Computer Science Majors

    A study of computer science and engineering students at the University of Georgia examines their experiences with and perceptions of work-related experiential activities.

  20. A woman uses a microscope.
    Workday Program Promotes Careers in Tech Fields to Women

    Launched in 2018 with a flagship two-day immersive conference, Workday’s “Future Females in Tech Engagement Program” helps women to build career confidence and make the connections they need to get started in the tech industry.

  21. A group of people meet virtually.
    UC Berkeley Career Summit Connects Transfer Students, Employers

    The UC Berkeley Career Center’s annual transfer student career summit is a five-hour virtual event that was created to help connect transfer students, who are often overwhelmed when navigating career opportunities, and employers that are not aware of the value transfer students can bring to organizations.

  22. A group of people work together.
    Working With Faculty: TakeAways From the Competency Symposium

    New to the repository is “Curated Resources for Teaching and Assessing Career Readiness Competencies,” a compendium developed through a grassroots effort by NACE members. Access this and other resources at www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/resources/ .

  23. An employer discusses career readiness with an intern.
    Employers Play Key Role in Career Readiness, Competency Development

    Employers play an important role in ensuring that college students are career ready and in developing the competencies that broadly prepare college graduates for this transition. “It’s a role that requires employer engagement with both students and college leadership,” explains Glen Fowler, a past president of NACE and, until his recent retirement, the recruiting and training manager for the California State Auditor’s office.

  24. A group of college students.
    The Ever-Fluctuating Skill Set, the College-to-Career Transition, and the T-Student

    Career success means a commitment to lifelong learning to add skills and credentials that employers need. The adaptive innovator—or T-professional—does just that.

  25. A group of college students in class.
    The Paper to Prove You Have the Skills

    Colleges must work to ensure that students are aware that skills they’re using and developing in the classroom can be an asset after entering the workforce.

  26. man and two women working together and putting sticky notes on a pane of glass
    Engaging Students: The On-Campus Internship Program

    Through its University Professional Internship and Co-op Program, Clemson University provides 1,000 students a year with the opportunity to gain experience, defray expenses, and build career readiness competencies.

  27. clip art of head outlines thinking
    Starting a Campus-Wide Competency Development Program: Different Approaches, Common Ground

    NACE looks at how two universities brought career readiness competencies to their campus.

  28. group of men and women sitting around a large table conversing
    The Key Skills Employers Develop in Their Interns

    The key competencies employers want in the students they hire for internships are also among the skills employers help their interns to develop.

  29. two men sitting across from eachother conversing
    Competencies Employers Seek in Internship/Co-Op Hires

    When it comes to selecting students for their internship and co-op programs, employers have a set of five competencies that are “must haves.

  30. FIve people
    Using the Principles, Professional Standards, and Competencies

    What is the difference between the NACE Principles and Professional Standards? And how do both differ from the Competencies?

  31. group of people
    Foundations for the Profession: Principles, Professional Standards, Competencies

    NACE provides ethical principles, professional standards, and professional competencies. What is the difference?

  32. abstract book
    The Impact of Internships and Study Abroad on the Career Readiness of First-Generation Students

    NACE research suggests that internship and study-abroad experiences have a positive effect on the career readiness of first-generation students

  33. two people sitting at a table
    Students: Internships Positively Impact Competencies

    Students feel that their experiential education assignments have a positive impact on their career readiness competencies.

  34. paper boats
    Internships as a Pedagogical Approach to Soft-Skill Development

    The authors explore soft-skill development through internships.

  35. paper airplanes
    The Leadership Competency: How Interns and Employers View Development

    The authors look at the similarities and differences in how college students and employers describe leadership and its various proficiency levels.

  36. three people using a tablet
    College’s Career Curriculum Based on Competency Development

    LIM College has a unique career education structure that is based on the NACE Competencies and that will allow the college to conduct longitudinal research.

  37. five people around a table
    The Four Career Competencies Employers Value Most

    Employers have consistently identified the four career readiness competencies that they find essential in their new college hires.

  38. abstract people
    CONNECTING BRIDGES: INTRODUCING THE COCURRICULAR CAREER CONNECTIONS LEADERSHIP MODEL

    Peck and Preston advance the Cocurricular Career Connections (C3) Leadership Model, designed to connect higher education and business and industry.

  39. three people looking at a tablet
    ARE COLLEGE GRADUATES “CAREER READY”?

    When it comes to rating the “career readiness” of college graduates, there are differences in perception between students and employers.

  40. people around a computer
    Employers Rate Career Competencies, New Hire Proficiency

    While employers rate critical thinking/problem solving as the most essential competency for new hires, they rate their hires more proficient in other areas.

  41. frog
    The Value of Engaged Students

    Employers that want to attract and retain the best employees should focus on engaged students.

  42. people sitting around a table
    Employers Identify Four “Must Have” Career Readiness Competencies for College Graduates

    When asked to rate the career readiness competencies of college graduates in terms of “essential need,” employers view four as vital, according to results of NACE’s Job Outlook 2016 Spring Update.

  43. two people using a tablet
    Employers: Verbal Communication Most Important Candidate Skill

    When asked to assess candidate skills/qualities, employers rated verbal communications skills the most important, according to NACE' s Job Outlook 2016 report.

  44. people sitting at a table
    Career Readiness Is Integral to the Liberal Arts

    A cross-functional team led by faculty integrated career readiness into the College of Liberal Arts at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

  45. A female professional smiles.
    Measuring Competency Proficiency: The Career Readiness Pilot Project

    The NACE Center and SkillSurvey collaborated on a pilot project to determine how to best measure career readiness; results of the initial phase are highlighted.

  46. A student sits with her college mentor to go over her career readiness.
    Beyond the Skills Gap

    Systemic reform centered on active learning is essential to cultivate career competencies.

  47. An student gains experience outside of the classroom.
    The Co-curricular Connection: The Impact of Experiences Beyond the Classroom on Soft Skills

    In spring 2014, the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) and NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation launched a working group to look at how the soft skills gained through participation and employment in co-curricular experiences helped to prepare students for their careers. The goal was to identify ways that students are gaining skills that make them more desirable to employers by participating in programs in collegiate recreation and campus activities and by engaging in student employment in the fields of collegiate recreation and campus activities.

  48. An illustration of blue arrows.
    Creating and Improving a Career Success Strategies Course for Undergraduate Business Students: An Analysis of Outcomes and Future Directions

    Using before and after assessments, career coaches at the University of Cincinnati analyze the outcomes of their course for undergraduate business students and identify future directions based on the data.

  49. Word Communication
    The Communication Competency: Exploring Student Intern and Employer Communication Differences

    Research conducted by Aaron James and Troy Nunamaker, Clemson University, indicates that many students under- or overrate their communication skills, perhaps because they are assessing them in the context of an academic setting, not the workplace.

  50. Multiple size wheels with word job on one
    The Sample Behaviors That Provide Evidence of Career Readiness

    NACE has identified key behaviors that allow college students preparing to enter the workforce to demonstrate their career readiness to prospective employers.

  51. Five stacked up wooden blocks
    Comparing NACE Career Competencies Virtually Through Intern Self-Assessments and Employer Assessments

    Amy Morrill Bijeau and Beverly Peters, American University, examine whether students can gain career readiness competencies through virtual internships. Their study compared student self-assessments and supervisor evaluations from those taking part in virtual, in person, and hybrid internship experiences.

  52. NACE21
    Key Takeaways From NACE21

    Over the course of the week-long NACE21 conference, it became clear that several topics—such as the new normal, professionalism, and career readiness—weighed most heavily on attendees.

  53. four people looking at laptop screen
    Ways Career Practitioners Can Help Students Navigate Nuances of “Professionalism”

    Career services offices can help students develop their professionalism and navigate situations when “professional standards” may fuel and foster bias.

  54. Woman working at a computer
    Career Readiness Resources

    NACE members share resources they have developed to communicate with college students and others about how to develop key competencies, known as the NACE Career Readiness Competencies, needed to be considered ready for the workforce.

  55. two people taking notes
    Competencies: Employers Weigh Importance Versus New Grad Proficiency

    Career services offices should provide programming and resources to help boost students’ proficiency in critical thinking, communication, and professionalism.

  56. Four students looking at computer
    Mapping the Impacts of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry Experiences to the NACE Career Readiness Competencies

    Undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry experiences can help students build competencies in all eight NACE career readiness competencies.

  57. graduate
    Fostering Faculty Champions for Student Career Readiness

    One way to address career preparation is by ingraining it into the curriculum with the help of faculty champions.

  58. people sitting around a table
    Recalibrating Career Services’ Understanding of and Approach to Helping Today’s Students

    Dr. Julia Overton-Healy of St. John Fisher College suggests career services offices need to recalibrate their understanding of who their students are and make changes to accommodate them.

  59. five people around a desk
    Career Readiness Minor Prepares Grads to Enter Job Market as Standout Candidates

    Last fall, VCU began offering its Interdisciplinary Career Readiness Skills minor, an 18-credit pathway for students to develop today’s most highly sought-after job skills.

  60. People sitting around table
    Addressing the Shifting Standards of Professionalism

    To prepare students for their transition to the workforce, career centers have to account for the standards of professionalism shifting over the past several years.

  61. group at a table discussing some documents
    Recruiters and Students Have Differing Perceptions of New Grad Proficiency in Competencies

    New graduates and their potential employers can agree on which skills are most important for job candidates, but differ on how proficient new graduates are in those abilities.

  62. Group of people working at a table
    Mohawk’s Programs Help Develop Competencies of Interns, New College Hires

    With an eye toward the future of its workforce, Mohawk Industries provides its candidates and new college hires with development that extends beyond the internship.