Choosing to attend college is a chance to grow, explore, and prepare for the professional world. From class projects to student leadership roles and volunteer work, every experience can translate into valuable skills that employers want. The key is knowing how to connect these experiences to real-world career competencies.

You can start by recognizing the transferable skills you’ve gained, even in unexpected places. Class projects build a range of skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and time management. Student leadership roles teach communication, organization, and decision-making. Volunteer work develops empathy, collaboration, and adaptability, while part-time jobs or internships help you gain professionalism, customer service, and technical skills.

The next step is to make sure you translate your college experiences into career language. Be specific about your contributions, highlight measurable results, and connect your experiences to your career goals. For example, leading a student club to organize a successful event demonstrates leadership, teamwork, and project management. These are all skills valuable in any professional setting.

Equally important is practicing how to articulate your skills. Frame your experiences in resumes, interview answers, and networking conversations in terms of the results and competencies they demonstrate. Using frameworks like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can help you clearly convey your impact.

To support students in this process, Barry’s Center for Experiential Learning (CEL) team offers personalized career development services, including interview preparation, resume and cover letter reviews, and much more. As part of this preparation, the CEL team introduces students to the NACE Career Readiness Competencies: Career & Self-Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, and Technology. These eight competencies serve as a roadmap for what employers look for in a career-ready workforce.

So many of your college experiences build skills that matter in the workplace. By recognizing, translating, and articulating these experiences, you turn your academic journey into a professional advantage.

For more tips and resources on career readiness, connect with Barry University’s CEL team at https://www.barry.edu/en/cel.