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NACE Competencies Guide

The 8 career readiness skills employers look for in every candidate.

1. What Are NACE Competencies?

NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) defines 8 career readiness competencies — the skills employers consistently say they want in new hires.

1.1 Who Uses Them

  • 4,000+ universities for career services and curriculum design
  • Employers to evaluate candidates and structure interviews
  • Students to identify strengths and development areas

The bottom line: These 8 competencies are what separates "qualified on paper" from "ready to succeed at work."

2. Why Employers Care

When employers evaluate candidates, they're asking:

"Can this person actually DO the job, work with others, and grow?"

Technical skills get you the interview. Competencies get you the offer.

2.1 How Employers Use NACE

  • Resume screening: Looking for evidence of competencies in experience descriptions
  • Behavioral interviews: "Tell me about a time..." questions target specific competencies
  • Reference checks: "How does [candidate] handle conflict? Take initiative?"
  • Performance reviews: Competencies become evaluation criteria once hired

3. The 8 Competencies Explained

3.1 Career & Self-Development

Proactively developing yourself and your career through continual learning.

  • Seeks feedback and acts on it
  • Sets goals and tracks progress
  • Stays current in your field
  • Takes ownership of your growth

Example: Completed certifications outside of class, asked for feedback after a project, sought out a mentor.

3.2 Communication

Clearly exchanging information through writing, speaking, and listening.

  • Writes clear, professional emails and documents
  • Presents ideas effectively to different audiences
  • Listens actively and asks clarifying questions
  • Adapts communication style to the situation

Example: Presented research findings to a group, wrote reports others relied on, mediated a misunderstanding.

3.3 Critical Thinking

Analyzing information, evaluating options, and making sound decisions.

  • Gathers relevant information before deciding
  • Considers multiple perspectives and trade-offs
  • Identifies root causes, not just symptoms
  • Makes decisions even with incomplete information

Example: Diagnosed why a process was failing, evaluated multiple vendors and made a recommendation, identified a problem early.

3.4 Equity & Inclusion

Working effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

  • Treats all people with respect and dignity
  • Seeks out diverse perspectives
  • Recognizes and addresses bias (including your own)
  • Creates inclusive environments

Example: Collaborated with teammates from different backgrounds, advocated for an underrepresented perspective, adapted your approach to include others.

3.5 Leadership

Guiding and motivating others toward a common goal.

  • Takes initiative without being asked
  • Influences others positively
  • Organizes people and resources effectively
  • Takes responsibility for outcomes (good and bad)

Example: Led a project or team, stepped up when no one else would, motivated others through difficulty.

3.6 Professionalism

Acting with integrity, accountability, and effective work habits.

  • Shows up on time, prepared, and reliable
  • Takes ownership of mistakes
  • Maintains composure under pressure
  • Represents the organization well

Example: Met all deadlines on a high-pressure project, admitted an error and fixed it, received recognition for reliability.

3.7 Teamwork

Building collaborative relationships and contributing to group success.

  • Collaborates effectively with diverse teammates
  • Contributes fair share (and helps others)
  • Navigates disagreements constructively
  • Puts team success above personal credit

Example: Completed a group project with shared responsibilities, helped a struggling teammate, resolved a team conflict.

3.8 Technology

Using digital tools and technology effectively to accomplish goals.

  • Learns new tools quickly
  • Uses technology to improve efficiency
  • Understands data and digital systems
  • Adapts to new platforms and software

Example: Built a spreadsheet or automation, learned new software for a project, used technology creatively to solve a problem.

4. How Quarlo Uses NACE Competencies

Your Quarlo interview prep integrates NACE competencies in two ways:

4.1 STAR Story Tagging

Each of your 5 STAR stories is tagged with 2-3 competencies it demonstrates. This helps you:

  • Quickly find the right story for a question
  • Ensure you're showing range (not just "communication" 5 times)
  • Understand what each story signals to employers

4.2 Competency Coverage Chart

Your prep includes a visual chart showing:

  • Strong (3+ examples): You have plenty of evidence
  • Adequate (1-2 examples): You're covered but could add more
  • Gap (0 examples): No stories demonstrate this competency

Gaps aren't failures — they're awareness. You can think of experiences you forgot, develop the competency, or be ready to discuss how you're growing in that area.

5. Developing Your Gaps

If your coverage chart shows gaps, here's how to develop each competency:

  • Career & Self-Development: Take a free online course, ask for feedback from a professor/boss, set 90-day goals
  • Communication: Join a club that requires presenting, write for a blog/publication, practice active listening
  • Critical Thinking: Take on a problem-solving project, analyze case studies, practice "5 Whys" root cause analysis
  • Equity & Inclusion: Join a diverse organization, attend cultural events, read perspectives different from your own
  • Leadership: Volunteer to lead a small project, mentor someone junior, organize an event
  • Professionalism: Track your commitments and meet them all, ask for workplace etiquette feedback, dress/communicate professionally
  • Teamwork: Join group projects, sports, or clubs, practice giving credit to others, help a teammate without being asked
  • Technology: Learn a new tool (Excel, Notion, Figma), automate a repetitive task, take a technical course

6. Quick Reference

The 8 NACE Competencies:

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

In interviews, employers are checking:

  • Do you have evidence of these competencies? (STAR stories)
  • Do you have range across multiple competencies? (Coverage)
  • Can you articulate what you learned? (Self-awareness)

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