Tips for Career Prep

Just like you assume a high school graduate can read and write, most employers assume a college graduate can perform job-specific tasks, or “hard skills.” For example, an engineering career requires hard skills such as computer modeling and advanced mathematics. 

But these skills are not the extent of what it takes to succeed in a professional career. Career prep comes in many forms, so it’s important to ensure that you’re working to become the best professional you can, beyond just mastering the specific skills required of your profession. 

Hone your Soft Skills 

Anybody who has held a professional job grasps the significance of “soft skills,” or people skills, to work excellently. These are abilities such as prioritizing assignments, resolving conflicts in a team setting, listening effectively, and, of course, thinking outside the proverbial box.

Of course, hard skills are fundamental in professional careers. After all, you can’t expect to perform surgery if you don’t have a thorough understanding of anatomy. But soft skills are essential even before you’ve decided which career path to pursue, as they’re the same no matter if you desire to become a lawyer or an artist. 

Practicing soft skills not only helps your career prep, but other areas of your life as well because they focus on improving your natural ability to authentically and patiently interact with people. 

Think Creatively

Thinking outside the box allows you to problem solve in innovative ways. Exploring new solutions to issues that prior thinking patterns have not been able to solve means that your future workplace will benefit from the experimental nature of your ideas, making you an even more valuable asset to the team. 

Being open to new ideas can be incredibly productive in a professional workplace. So growing comfortable with using creative thinking patterns now will help you do so when the time comes to put those innovative ideas into action in the workplace. 

Collaborate and Cooperate 

Because jobs exist within a community, you’ll have to ally with other departments and work through disagreements with your colleagues. Being open, ready to interact, and truly learn what it means to work as a team is incredibly beneficial in your career prep.

Hardly any professions exist within a solidary environment, so it’s infinitely valuable to be able to effectively work alongside others. Even some of the more independent careers occasionally partner with associates and peers. Don’t underestimate the power and productivity of working as a team. 

Learn Effective Management 

Learning the various facets of managing a team aids you in being a part of one, even if you never wish to become a manager. 

Google’s multiyear research study referred to as Project Oxygen, pulled data from performance reviews and employee surveys, forming a list of eight necessary qualities for successful management and overall career prep. 

According to Google’s data, the traits of a strong manager are as follows. First, a quality manager is a good coach and empowers the team but doesn’t micromanage. Next, he or she expresses interest in team members’ success and personal well-being. Then, he or she is productive and results-oriented, he or she communicates well, and aids with career development. Finally, he or she also has a clear vision and strategy for the team and key technical skills that help advise them.

Career Prep at Grace College

At Grace College, we understand why it’s important to be a well-rounded individual in the workplace. We equip our students to develop the skills that employers are looking for.

Student-led teams abound on our campus, with groups organizing student activities, chapel services, and community involvement initiatives. Most offices across campus also hire student interns, offering a real-world environment to apply their various skills.

Given Grace College’s Christian worldview, it should come as no surprise that many of the skills it teaches are rooted in biblical values, such as patience, empathy, and peacemaking. Through this framework, students grow in their ability to manage their responsibilities, while maximizing their career prep opportunities and honoring others.

When selecting a college, make sure to look beyond the classes you’ll take. It’s important to search for a school that cares about helping you become a valued contributor to  your workplace. In the end, it will make all the difference.

Read more about how Grace prepares career-ready students. To see it for yourself, schedule a visit to Grace College.