Become Violet Ready
Skills for Success Beyond NYU
Below are some of the top skills employers seek in candidates and strategies on how you can develop them to gain a competitive advantage. Whether you are interning, working remotely, taking a course, or volunteering in your neighborhood, here are some ways to build your skills this summer. Review and assess your current skills, choose what to develop, and follow the strategies below for some ideas.
Explore a skill to get started today!
The Wasserman Center acknowledges that some of the skills mentioned below, namely "Professionalism" is rooted in White, western, and heteronormative workplace expectations, and therefore, may be harmul and not inclusive of the experiences of BIPOC and other marginalized communities. To this end, we strived to offer inclusive, competency-based examples of these skills in action. We’ve included resources that discuss the bias that may manifest in the workplace around professionalism. This acknowledgment is temporary as we work to update our language.
After You Developed these Skills:
- Incorporate these skills and accomplishments into your resume and upcoming interview talking points
- Start building additional skills specific to your industry (ex. Digital technologies)
- Check out NYU’s Career Development Process, Explore - Prepare - Connect, to see what stage you are at and advance to the next stage this summer
Communication
Articulate ideas clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.
- Improve your writing skills by starting a blog, writing an article, or publishing a paper online or in a peer reviewed journal
- Create your Professional 30 Second Pitch and enhance your communication skills
- Explore Toastmasters International's resources on public speaking
Self-Awareness
Identify your values, interests, skills, strengths, and growth areas.
- Take the 16Personalities test to learn more about who you are. Reflect on what "type" you are, and what these results mean to you
- Take Career Explorer and check out the database of career paths
- Take a stock of your life at the moment by completing the Love/Play/Health/Work balance worksheet
Reflection
Inform future decisions by reflecting on past experiences.
- Research your top five employers of choice by reviewing the company website to research their industry, culture, and jobs posted. Reflect on what qualifications you meet and note areas to continue developing
- Watch a TED Talk, describe your connection to it, create a goal, and act on it
- Start a journal or blog and keep notes about your summer (what you learned, what you want to learn, interests, passions, questions, what’s next?)
Networking
Build professional connections and share industry information for mutual benefit.
- Build your Linkedin profile and reach out to at least 20 new connections with personalized messages
- Schedule an informational interview with NYU alumni working in your industry of interest through Violet Network
- Review Wasserman’s Networking resources on Handshake
- Join or create your own virtual group on MeetUp
Collaboration
Build strategic partnerships and work together towards common goals.
- Start a virtual club with a fellow NYU student
- Enter a team competition, work with classmates on a research project, explore local hackathons, case competitions & more
- Work with others at local food pantries and food distribution sites employing appropriate social distancing
- Create a repository on GitHub and share it with classmates to build a project this summer
Professionalism
Develop a positive reputation by demonstrating competence, respect, and integrity in the workplace.
- Watch this professional email etiquette video
- Take the Linkedin Learning Business Writing Course
- Get into a professional routine (i.e. wake up at the same time every day…)
- Join a LinkedIn Group to build relationships and learn about different career paths
- Learn the bias of professional standards
Career Awareness
Expand knowledge of career options, what’s required to both secure and be successful in potential jobs.
- Explore industry guides on Firsthand to learn about industry trends and job information
- Advance your technical skills for certain careers through free Linkedin Learning courses
- Create a Skills Matrix for a job or internship you’re interested in working towards applying for in the future
- Review the Career Assessment module on the Wasserman online career modules to understand career decision-making, identify interests, and assess skills
Internship and Job Search
Learn and apply the necessary steps to secure professional opportunities.
- Attend Wasserman’s weekly virtual workshops
- Review Wasserman’s resumes, CVs, and cover letters guides
- Undergraduate Students: Upload your resume to VMock to receive instant targeted feedback
- Learn resume, cover letter, and interview basics via the Violet Ready Career Toolbox
- Review the Wasserman online career modules to assess comprehension, apply your learning, and review helpful resources that support career success
- Check out NYU Service Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
- Practice your interviewing skills on Big Interview
- Complete your Handshake profile
- Stay up to date with articles on hiring trends and tips on Wasserman’s continually updated blog post
Intercultural & Global Fluency
Value diversity and apply cultural awareness across relationships and environments.
- Learn what it’s like to work globally in the resources on GoinGlobal
- Work with an online program or free app, like Duolingo, to hone or start learning a new language or hire a community tutor through iTalki
- Participate in NYU CMEP Zone Trainings and review their Terminology Toolkits
- Connect, collaborate, and share books, podcasts, and resources with your peers from different social and cultural backgrounds through NYU and Wasserman programs and initiatives
Leadership
Work with others to set direction, create alignment, build commitment and achieve positive results.
- Explore the Leslie E-Lab resources, generate an idea and create a business plan - find a need and act on it in your community
- Participate in Leadership Initiative Workshops
- Fundraise for a charity that you support by creating and managing a fun fundraising challenge