Core Competencies & Blog Resources

There are four groups of skills that all trainees need to have to help ensure success in their careers. These skills are not only beneficial for success if your current role, but are vital skills to continue to develop in order to excel in future career paths. Below are descriptions of these skills sets and a listing of blog posts on each topic. Check out the posts to delve a bit further into each subject area. Core competencies include: COMMUNICATION We communicate with people everyday:  writing papers, sending emails, giving presentations, or discussing ideas in meetings.  In almost every job, the ability to share thoughts and ideas clearly with others is a necessary competency. Blog Posts to Check Out: Difficult Work Conversations Negotiating Across Cultures Interviewing with Confidence Improving Your Writing Skills Public Speaking for Introverts CAREER READINESS & EXPLORATION Starting your career search requires a strong set of skills:  From preparing for job interviews and writing cover letters, to networking and using social media for finding jobs or opportunities for collaborations. Blog Posts to Check Out: Best Practices for Resume Writing Guide to Cover Letters Five Most Common Networking Excuses How I Overcame My Fear of Informational Interviewing Career Options Series LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT Any position that requires managing people requires effective teamwork skills.  Are you the president of your student group, or supervising others in your lab?  Then you need leadership skills.  Not only do we need strong people management skills, but you also need project management skills, such as being able to set realistic milestones for your research or thesis, and then hitting those deadlines. Blog Posts to Check Out: Good Mentoring Guidelines Identifying Mentors and Getting the Most Out of Your Mentoring Relationships Manage Your Time with a Tomato A Tool for Feedback: Situation, Behavior, Impact There Aren’t Enough Hours in the Day – Time Management Tips TEACHING & MENTORING Teaching and mentoring skills help us share knowledge with others, and go beyond the classroom setting.  More experienced employees often share knowledge and information with newer ones, which helps the entire team or organization be more effective. Blog Posts to Check Out: Tomorrow’s Professors: Preparing for the Academic Job Market Getting a Faculty Job, Revisited Managing Mentoring Relationships – Tips of Mentors and Mentees Writing the Teaching Statement Basic Overview: The US Academic System