Career Readiness at   Emporia State

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.

Take a career assessment, such as MyMajors, O*Net Interest Profiler, or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Enroll in an exploratory course, such as "Introduction to the Psychology Major" or "Foundations of Sport Leadership & Recreation"

Participate in an Informational Interview or Job Shadow with a professional in an area that interests you

Schedule a Career Readiness Assessment appointment with Career Services staff

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.

Practice formal, professional writing in your Comp I and Comp II classes

Demonstrate during interactions with your coworkers and supervisor

Take a Public Speaking class to practice presenting your ideas and information

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.

Visit the WAW Library to learn more about reliable sources of information and data

Join a student-led group, such as Associated Student Government, Interfraternity Council, or Student Alumni Board

Enroll in a research course

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.

Use opportunities, such as group projects, to engage with diverse ideas and perspectives

Join a culture / identity-based student organization

Participate in a Study Abroad experience

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.

Make a list of the attributes you admire in leaders you know - explore ways for building those attributes in yourself

Volunteer for a leadership role within a student organization

Build a reputation for reliability, responsibility, and self-motivation. 

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.

Demonstrate high quality work, whether in the classroom, in the workplace, as an athlete, or in student groups. 

Join a professional organization for your field. Many national orgs offer reduced-cost student memberships. 

Attend professional development sessions for ESU Student Employees

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.

Pick One! Get involved as a student, whether through Fraternity & Sorority Life, Athletics, RSO, or service projects. 

Follow through with responsibilities and deliverables for group projects

Obtain a part-time job

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.

Take an introductory course in hot technology areas, such as Data Analytics, Programming, or Web Development

Practice using technology in the work that you do every day

Look for free or inexpensive course options through online learning options such as Coursera, Codecademy, or LinkedIn Learning