Career Planning is embedded in each student’s personal four-year journey as they develop the mindset and skills necessary to perform well academically and compete successfully in the workforce.

Choosing a Major

Choosing a major is not the same as choosing a career. A degree provides you with skills, knowledge, experience, and the ability to be an independent learner. What you do with these is entirely up to you.

It is true, however, that some professions do require certain degrees or certifications, such as teaching or accounting. Your first job post-graduation is only the first step toward realizing your career goals. The progression of new job titles and career fields is continuous, so selecting a career is not a one-time decision, but an ongoing process.

Developing Your Skillsets

Receiving a college degree is a significant step in your career development. However, it is just as important to develop your skills and abilities through experiences like campus and community involvement, part-time work, and internships. When assessing a candidate’s capability, employers look beyond the knowledge gained in the classroom and look at assets referred to as:

The 4 C’s of 21st Century Skills

CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking is about being able to find solutions to problems while utilizing different kinds of reasoning. Employers want to hire professionals who can gather relevant information, ask important questions, and make decisions by selecting appropriate criteria and identifying alternatives to make reliable choices.

CREATIVITY

Creativity is the ability to produce new, diverse and unique ideas to address challenges. Employers want people who can brainstorm and come up with incremental and sometimes radical concepts. They want individuals who can take their ideas and refine them to maximize their creativity and innovation.

COLLABORATION

Collaboration is about being able to work with others to achieve a common goal. Employers today want professionals who can work effectively with different groups of people.

COMMUNICATION

Communication is the ability to be able to convey ideas and thoughts clearly and coherently through all verbal, written, auditory, and digital means. Employers want their associates to be able to share information efficiently and effectively to instruct and motivate others.

Recognizing Additional Skills

It is vital to recognize your current skills and abilities. Don’t limit your choices based only on what you can already do. Consider all your options and develop new skills that will make you competitive once you are ready to apply for a job. The following represents a partial list of skillsets you may be able to relate to:

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

• Reviews different points of view or ideas and makes objective judgments
• Examines underlying assumptions
• Formulates a question, analyzes a problem, or defines a situation with clarity, accuracy, and fair-mindedness
• Develops policy and programs
• Identifies all possible options, weighs the pros and cons, assesses feasibility, and chooses the most viable option

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

• Knows how to express feelings warmly and sensitively
• Gives and receives feedback in a constructive manner
• Knows how to interpret and use body language
• Recognizes and values the uniqueness of individuals and works well with a variety of diverse people

ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Presents material and ideas clearly and concisely with content and style proper for the audience
• Presents opinions and ideas in an open, objective way

PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS

• Makes formal presentations
• Presents ideas and positions in a unique and captivating way
• Maintains poise in public situations

CLIENT SERVICE SKILLS

• Builds a relationship of mutual trust with clients
• Understands or perceives clients’ needs
• Acts as an advocate for clients
• Handles complaints and concerns in a sensitive way
• Tailors services to meet the needs of an individual’s goals

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

• Motivates and empowers others to act
• Inspires trust and respect in others
• Builds effective teams
• Involves others without coercion
• Promotes open discussion and involvement of all participants while not dominating
• Facilitates and manages group interactions
• Delegates effectively

FINANCIAL SKILLS

• Keeps accurate financial records
• Manages a budget
• Establishes and maintains accounting and auditing procedures
• Prepares and interprets financial statements and reports
• Monitors inventory flow

Gaining Experience – “Networking”

Gaining professional experience as a student not only helps you develop your skills and abilities but also allows you to make valuable connections. Students gain experience through campus organizations, volunteer work, part-time jobs, and study abroad programs. Career Services can help you navigate these options as you develop your marketable skills.

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

TMU has a number of academic, social, and special-interest student organizations that provide an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills and network with industry professionals.

VOLUNTEER WORK AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Volunteer work and community involvement are excellent experiences to add to your resume because they demonstrate your dedication to social issues and/or an area of interest.

CLASS PROJECTS

Many capstone classes offer students a chance to practice the concepts they are learning in class in a real-life context. A class project can be a valuable opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of a subject area.

PART-TIME AND ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT

Part-time, temporary, and summer jobs offer an opportunity to develop important skills and demonstrate your ability to perform well as an employee. Every job requires you to use important skills like teamwork, communication, leadership, and adaptability. Do not underestimate the value of these part-time jobs.

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND STUDY ABROAD

The Master’s University has multiple study abroad opportunities for students. Employers are extremely interested in students who have ventured outside their geographic comfort zones and gained a more global viewpoint of the world’s economy.