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Career Center

Career Readiness

This is your path to professional success. It's ok to be Cocky about your future! That's what being Career Ready is all about. 

Thrive in Every Opportunity

At the University of South Carolina, your education goes beyond the classroom — it prepares you to thrive in every career, community and opportunity ahead.

VIDEO: What is Career Ready?

Career readiness means building the skills, experiences, and confidence to succeed in today’s ever-changing world of work. Whether you call them transferable, durable, essential, power, or soft skills, these core competencies are what employers value most — and what will carry you through a lifetime of professional growth.

 

The USC Career Center helps you build and showcase your core competencies — from communication and teamwork to leadership and career management — by connecting what you learn in the classroom to what you do beyond it.

Through hands-on experiences like internships, research, service learning, campus involvement, and job shadowing, you’ll put these skills into action, explore your interests, and shape your path to becoming truly Career Ready.

Career Ready — Let's Get Started

venn diagram showing competency at the intersection of behaviors, skills and knowledge

 

Empowering Gamecocks to Soar Beyond the Classroom

Being career ready means more than getting your first job — it means having the confidence, adaptability, and skill set to grow throughout your life and career.

The NACE Core Career Competencies represent the key skills and behaviors employers seek in new graduates across all industries.

At USC, we call that being  Career Ready.

Each competency below includes what it means, how to build it at USC, and examples of behaviors that demonstrate you’re career ready.

1. Career & Self-Development
2. Communication
3. Critical Thinking
4. Leadership
5. Professionalism
6. Teamwork
7. Technology

Being Career Ready means standing out to employers, graduate schools, and communities.
Each competency represents a skill that helps you lead, adapt, and thrive in today’s workforce.

Did You Know?
90% of employers say they look for candidates who demonstrate these NACE competencies — especially communication, professionalism, and teamwork.

Find out what recruiters are looking for.

Find out other ways to gain skills and get involved. 

Career readiness happens everywhere — in your classes, clubs, internships, and community involvement.

Start here:

  • Meet with a Career Coach to discover and strengthen your skills.
  • Attend Career Readiness Workshops through the Career Center.
  • Apply your learning through internships, research, and service experiences.
  • Get involved with student organizations and leadership programs that help you grow.

You’re building these competencies every day — now show them off.

  • Take the Career Readiness Self-Assessment to see where you shine.
  • Add your competencies to your resume, LinkedIn, and Handshake profile.
  • Share examples of your growth in interviews and networking conversations.

Your journey to becoming Carolina Career Ready starts now. Let’s make your future extraordinary.

 

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