BUILDING & MANAGING SKILLS

What are the top skills that businesses seek from college graduates?

• Communication
• Critical thinking/Analytical thinking
• Initiative/Creativity
• Interpersonal abilities/Teamwork
• Self-management
• Leadership/Networking
• Technical knowledge
• Perspective/Balance

How can you make the most of your internship to build these skills?

• Keep a journal of tasks, opportunities, contacts, projects, etc.
• Make a list of skills you acquired and how you developed them
• Keep a file of materials for use in a portfolio
• Ask people to discuss their job skills
• Seek a mentor
• Ask to take on responsibilities
• Ask to do something that involves the skills you want to develop

After your internship, how can you apply the skills you learned?

• Take a challenging class
• Be a peer mentor
• Volunteer in an organization
• Take a different role in your current organization or job
• Maintain contact with the people you met; get advice
• Develop workshops for a group (talk to your academic advisor about ideas)
• Think about other experiences you would like to have to develop other facets of yourself