SKILLS EMPLOYERS SEEK

One of the many important purposes and outcomes of your college experience is gaining a combination of knowledge and skills. Two types of skills are essential to employment and to life: content skills and transferable skills. Content skills are intellectual, or “hard,” skills that you gain in your academic field. They include writing proficiency, computer literacy, and foreign language skills. Computer literacy is now a core skill like reading, writing, and mathematics. You can apply content skills to jobs in any field or occupation.

Certain types of employers will expect extensive knowledge in your academic major before they will consider hiring you; for example, to get a job in accounting, you must demonstrate knowledge of Quickbooks or Microsoft Excel’s advanced features. Employers will not train you in basic applications or knowledge related to your field, so remember to be prepared to speak about your qualifications during the interview process. Remember, for most college students it’s sufficient to have some fundamental knowledge. You will learn more on the job as you move from entry-level work to more advanced positions.

Transferable skills are skills that are general and apply to, or transfer to, a variety of settings. Transferable skills give you flexibility in your career planning, as they are valued by many employers and in various professions. You develop transferable skills through a variety of activities, such as volunteer work, studying abroad, involvement in a student professional organization or club, and the pursuit of hobbies or interests. All of these pursuits can build teamwork, leadership, interpersonal awareness, and effective communication abilities. Internships and career-related work are also valuable opportunities to practice these skills in the real world.

Some transferable skills are listed and described below in Table 15.2.

TABLE 15.2 image Transferable Skills

Skills Abilities
Communication

Being a clear and persuasive speaker

Listening attentively

Writing well

Presentation

Justifying

Persuading

Responding to questions and serious critiques of presentation material

Leadership

Taking charge

Providing direction

Teamwork Working with different people while maintaining control over some assignments
Interpersonal

Relating to others

Motivating others to participate

Easing conflict between coworkers

Personal traits

Showing motivation

Recognizing the need to take action

Being adaptable to change

Having a strong work ethic

Being reliable and honest

Acting in an ethical manner

Knowing how to plan and organize multiple tasks

Being able to respond positively to customer concerns

Critical thinking and problem solving Identifying problems and their solutions by combining information from different sources and considering options
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Time to Celebrate!
When you are a first-year student, it may be hard for you to imagine graduation day, but we can confidently tell you that successful completion of this course is a good predictor that you will succeed and graduate with a college degree and perhaps a graduate degree some day. Before you know it, you, along with your family and friends, will celebrate your achievements. By making the most of what you have learned in your college success course and your other college experiences, both in and out of class, you will be ready to take the next steps toward a successful career and a bright future.
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