The National Association of Colleges and Employers, through a task force of college career services and HR/staffing professionals, has developed a definition, based on extensive research among employers, and identified eight competencies associated with career readiness.
How can you expand or enhance these skills at Pitt-Greensburg? Explore the competencies below to learn how your Pitt-Greensburg experience can help make you more career ready both inside and outside the classroom!
Sample Behaviors
- Show an awareness of own strengths and areas for development.
- Identify areas for continual growth while pursuing and applying feedback.
- Develop plans and goals for one’s future career.
- Professionally advocate for oneself and others.
- Display curiosity; seek out opportunities to learn.
- Assume duties or positions that will help one progress professionally.
- Establish, maintain, and/or leverage relationships with people who can help one professionally.
- Seek and embrace development opportunities.
- Voluntarily participate in further education, training, or other events to support one’s career.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Take an interest inventory or career-related assessment to determine how interests can translate into career options
- Shadow or do an informational interview
- Gain experience in your major (e.g., internship, volunteer work, research, student teaching, part-time job)
Sample Behaviors
- Understand the importance of and demonstrate verbal, written, and non-verbal/body language, abilities.
- Employ active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills.
- Communicate in a clear and organized manner so that others can effectively understand.
- Frame communication with respect to diversity of learning styles, varied individual communication abilities, and cultural differences.
- Ask appropriate questions for specific information from supervisors, specialists, and others.
- Promptly inform relevant others when needing guidance with assigned tasks.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Public Speaking Class
- Capstone (Written Component & Presentation)
- Comp and Business Writing (English-related) classes
- Completing an internship or experiential learning opportunity to enhance your professional skills and gain practical experience in your field of study
- Clubs/Organizations: The Insider, Pendulum, Creative Writing Club, Lambda Pi Eta
Sample Behaviors
- Make decisions and solve problems using sound, inclusive reasoning and judgment.
- Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.
- Proactively anticipate needs and prioritize action steps.
- Accurately summarize and interpret data with an awareness of personal biases that may impact outcomes.
- Effectively communicate actions and rationale, recognizing the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of stakeholders.
- Multi-task well in a fast-paced environment.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Research/Capstone Projects
- Volunteer or Intern with the Center for Applied Research
- Decision Making with Excel
- Ethics/Philosophy Classes
- Laboratories
Sample Behaviors
- Solicit and use feedback from multiple cultural perspectives to make inclusive and equity-minded decisions.
- Actively contribute to inclusive and equitable practices that influence individual and systemic change.
- Advocate for inclusion, equitable practices, justice, and empowerment for historically marginalized communities.
- Seek global cross-cultural interactions and experiences that enhance one’s understanding of people from different demographic groups and that leads to personal growth.
- Keep an open mind to diverse ideas and new ways of thinking.
- Identify resources and eliminate barriers resulting from individual and systemic racism, inequities, and biases.
- Demonstrate flexibility by adapting to diverse environments.
- Address systems of privilege that limit opportunities for members of historically marginalized communities.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Allies Training
- Study Abroad
- International Student Mentor
- Greensburg Experience More (GEM)
- Foreign Language Class
- Clubs/Organizations: Diversity Student Coalition, Gender & Sexuality Club, Spanish Club, Christian Fellowship, Active Minds
Sample Behaviors
- Inspire, persuade, and motivate self and others under a shared vision.
- Seek out and leverage diverse resources and feedback from others to inform direction.
- Use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods.
- Serve as a role model to others by approaching tasks with confidence and a positive attitude.
- Motivate and inspire others by encouraging them and by building mutual trust.
- Plan, initiate, manage, complete and evaluate projects.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Greensburg Experience More (GEM) program
- Emerging Leaders
- ROTC
- Military Science Courses
- Leadership/Officer Role in a Student Organization
- Leadership Conference - Fall Semester
- Commuter Mentor
- Community Assistant
- Athletics/Intramurals
- Student Government Association
Sample Behaviors
- Act equitably with integrity and accountability to self, others, and the organization.
- Maintain a positive personal brand in alignment with organization and personal career values.
- Be present and prepared.
- Demonstrate dependability (e.g., report consistently for work or meetings).
- Prioritize and complete tasks to accomplish organizational goals.
- Consistently meet or exceed goals and expectations.
- Have an attention to detail, resulting in few if any errors in their work.
- Show a high level of dedication toward doing a good job.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Professional Impressions career event
- Complete a mock interview
- Research/Teaching Assistant
- Volunteer CFAR
- ROTC
- Complete an internship, volunteer experience, or employment opportunity adhering to the company or organization guidelines.
Sample Behaviors
- Listen carefully to others, taking time to understand and ask appropriate questions without interrupting.
- Effectively manage conflict, interact with and respect diverse personalities, and meet ambiguity with resilience.
- Be accountable for individual and team responsibilities and deliverables.
- Employ personal strengths, knowledge, and talents to complement those of others.
- Exercise the ability to compromise and be agile.
- Collaborate with others to achieve common goals.
- Build strong, positive working relationships with supervisor and team members/coworkers.
Becoming Career-Ready at Pitt-Greensburg
- Sports or Intramural Opportunities
- Class Group Projects
- Active Roles in Student Organizations
- Capstone (collaborative project)
- Theater
- Laboratories
Sample Behaviors
- Navigate change and be open to learning new technologies.
- Use technology to improve efficiency and productivity of their work.
- Identify appropriate technology for completing specific tasks.
- Manage technology to integrate information to support relevant, effective, and timely decision-making.
- Quickly adapt to new or unfamiliar technologies.
- Manipulate information, construct ideas, and use technology to achieve strategic goals.
Sample Behaviors
- Digital Studies course
- IT-related course
- Internships such as Video Production or Sports Information
- Club Leadership/Involvement: Digital Advertising
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers.