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At a Glance 

Career readiness competencies are the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that prepare students to successfully navigate academic experiences and enter the workforce. Developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), these competencies reflect the expectations of employers and provide a shared framework for student learning and development. 

Why This Matters For Your Work

Faculty and staff play a key role in helping students recognize and articulate what they are learning. Use this framework to:

  • Design or refine learning experiences with clear skill development in mind
  • Make learning visible by naming competencies within courses, programs, and employment
  • Support reflection that helps students connect experiences to future goals
  • Align curricular and co-curricular efforts using a shared campus language

Career & Self-Development

Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning. This includes awareness of one’s strengths and areas for growth, navigating career opportunities, and building relationships and networks that support long-term development.  

Communication

Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with individuals inside and outside of an organization. This includes verbal, written, and nonverbal communication, active listening, and adapting messages to various audiences and contexts. 

Critical Thinking

Identify and respond to needs based on an understanding of context and the logical analysis of relevant information. This includes gathering and evaluating information, making informed decisions, and solving problems using sound and inclusive reasoning. 

Leadership

Recognize and build on personal and team strengths to achieve shared goals. This includes motivating others, using innovative thinking, seeking diverse perspectives, and guiding efforts toward a common vision. 

Professionalism

Understand and demonstrate effective work habits and behaviors that reflect integrity, accountability, and reliability. This includes acting in the interest of the broader community and maintaining standards appropriate to academic and professional environments. 

Teamwork

Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals. This includes valuing diverse perspectives, managing conflict constructively, and sharing responsibility for outcomes. 

Technology

Understand and ethically use technology to enhance efficiency, complete tasks, and achieve goals. This includes adapting to new tools, selecting appropriate technologies, and using digital resources to support informed decision-making. 

For detailed descriptions and sample behaviors for each competency, visit: https://careers.uiowa.edu/career-ready 

Incorporating Competencies into Programs and Courses

While students can independently track and reflect on competency development using their Engagement Record, faculty and staff play an essential role in integrating competencies into programs, courses, and experiences. Integrating NACE’s competencies into programs and courses supports student success by helping learners:

  • Build and apply skills across experiences
  • Understand the purpose of their learning
  • Communicate their strengths with confidence

When designing or enhancing learning opportunities, consider the following strategies: 

Mapping

Competencies are used across many campus programs. Using shared language helps students recognize connections between different experiences and better understand how their skills translate across contexts. 

Naming

Explicitly identifying competencies within experiences (“cueing”) helps students recognize learning opportunities. Research shows that naming skills improves awareness and encourages intentional skill development rather than passive participation. 

Integrating

Competencies support students in connecting learning across academic, co-curricular, and professional settings. Strategies such as portfolios, capstone experiences, and guided reflection can help students apply prior learning to new situations and problem-solving contexts. 

Reflecting

Reflection is essential to competency development. Structured opportunities, such as prompts, discussions, or guided journaling, help students develop metacognitive skills and understand how their experiences contribute to growth.  

Learn more about integrating competencies in specific contexts: 

Assessment

Assessing the effectiveness of competencies is an essential part of their integration into the student experience. At the end of an experience, students should perform some self-reflection through a semi-structured assessment. Self-evaluations, writing prompts, or discussion questions can support this process.

Sample Reflection Questions

Consider using the following questions to help students assess their learning and development: 

  • What competencies do you think you will develop as a result of participating in this experience? 

  • Write about a competency that you have developed as a result of this experience. 

  • What does it look like to effectively utilize a specific competency?

  • When have you used this competency inside and outside the classroom? 

  • What have you learned in this experience about this competency that may be helpful in your courses, campus involvement, or future career? 

  • How might you continue to develop this competency in the future? 

  • What challenges have you experienced while developing this competency?

  • How would you describe your skills in this competency on your resume or during a job interview?