hanover.edu
Levett Career Center
Developing Competencies

To learn more about how we suggest students in your class year develop the competencies, review the timeline below.

Every Year:

  • Do your best in your classes. Building your intellectual skills is why you're at Hanover.
  • No matter what you are doing, whether classes or activities, practice your professionalism.
  • Review the Professional Competency assessment tools to see what lies ahead so that you can allow time to master each competency.
  • Remember, the Career Center can help at any stage!

First Years:

  • Focus on this one thing and Try. Stuff. Out.
  • The most important thing you can do now is to get to know yourself and what you enjoy and find rewarding. This means that you need to watch how you respond to the things you do. Why do you enjoy them? Or why not?
  • By following this simple advice, you will begin working on several competencies: sense of purpose, marketable qualifications, résumé, cover letter, and networking. Do your tasks well and you'll be building your professionalism.

Sophomores:

  • Start to build your qualifications and credentials.
  • Work on gaining marketable qualifications and on exploring your interests: join clubs, find a job, explore your major, be active, but do it intentionally, focusing on what you know you enjoy.
  • Work on your resume, highlighting the tasks and activities you most hope to do in your eventual job.
  • Practice interviewing.

Juniors:

  • Assess your competencies and focus on areas that are still developing.
  • If you haven't yet done so, identify 1 - 5 possible career goals. Come to the Career Center if you need assistance.
  • Focus on building your qualifications toward a specific field that matches your interests, and tailor your resume and cover letter accordingly.
  • Practice your search and interviewing skills while seeking an internship.
  • Using the Professional Competency assessment tools, identify your current strengths and growth areas.

Seniors:

  • Assess your competencies and gain mastery in each.
  • Continue to use the Professional Competency assessment tools to see where your gaps lie. If you haven't been building your qualifications, come to the Career Center for strategies.
  • Attend career workshops to jump start your resume, cover letter, job search and networking understanding, or to help with grad school applications.