What are the 8 most-sought after skills, you ask?
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has identified 8 skills that consistently rise to the top of what employers seek in their new hires - the NACE8: Communication, Critical Thinking, Career & Self-Development, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, and Technology. Read Competencies for a Career-Ready Workforce PDF to learn more.
The Inventory is a great way for students to reflect on the NACE8 to identify their personal strengths as well as the competencies they want to develop. It can be completed year after year as students learn and grow.
The inventory is also ideal for experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, co-op, service-learning, research, employment) where a student can take the self-assessment AND their supervisor can rate them as well. When used in this way, any competency rated as "Advanced" by the supervisor will automatically generate a LinkedIn badge - backed by NACE and specific to that competency.
For Students
Invest in your career confidence & career readiness with this 8-point inventory on the competencies most sought by employers - across the nations & across industries.
The Inventory is not a test, there are no wrong answers. It is a self-assessment to help you understand your areas for growth and own your strengths. It takes 8-10 minutes to complete. You will receive an email with a PDF of your responses along with recommendations for how to develop any competency you wish too develop.
Take the assessment now (it's just for you, no one is grading or judging) and take it again later to track your growth!
For Faculty/Staff
If you would like to use the Inventory with a group of students (a course, program, cohort, etc.) please reach out to career@uvm.edu and we can create an "instance" for you - complete with backend access so you'll be able to track respondents and view data trends. There is no charge to set up an instance, all costs are covered centrally.
When used in a work-learning situation (e.g., internship course, student employment) the Inventory shows students how their self-assessment compares to their supervisors feedback - opening the door for rich feedback - and offering recommendations for skill development. In the example below, the supervisor assessment in black is compared to the self-assessment in blue.
For Supervisors
Providing feedback is easy - just click on the link in the email you receive. It should take less than 10 minutes. You will then see both your assessment and the students' self-assessments - allowing you to compare responses and opening the door for meaningful feedback on areas of strength and opportunities for growth.
Help your students build a strong portfolio of employable skills along with the ability to articulate how/where they developed them; and help them earn LinkedIn badges.
