Heavener Competencies

The competencies employers seek

Mindset: Gator Ready wants to empower you to achieve your academic and professional goals. To be successful in life beyond your time in Heavener, you’ll need to continually develop the skills you already have, gain new ones, and learn to apply them in different settings. Gator Ready is the tool that will help you identify how to maximize the Growth Mindset.

Why: Your future employers and graduate/professional schools will expect that you demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and attitude (aka Competency) necessary to achieve success.

Who: You! The resources and opportunities will be provided to you during your time as a Heavener student, but it is up to you to take advantage of them.


Career readiness is a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare the college educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management.

NACE
(National Association of Colleges and Employers®)

The Heavener School of Business has identified eight competencies to intentionally integrate across the spectrum of involvement and programming. The development of these competencies includes knowledge, skill, and attitude. Competency development is a lifelong endeavor of personal and professional growth.

  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
    Skills demonstrated by the ability to analyze and synthesize information and problems in order to identify a solution through careful and thorough examination and research.
  • Communication
    Skills demonstrated by the ability to clearly and effectively communicate, in both written and oral forms, in order to meet needs of an audience or individual. Additionally, communication skills are demonstrated through accepting feedback to improve communication and effectively responding to that feedback.
  • Inclusive Excellence
    Skill that focus on the ability to include others in roles and the desire to encourage diversity and exposure to people from different perspectives, beliefs, and experiences in order to cultivate an inclusive environment.
  • Leadership
    Skills demonstrated by the ability to assist teams in developing a shared purpose and commitment to reaching goals and maximizing effectiveness. A leader cultivates trust and respect in team members and employs interpersonal skills to coach others. Additionally, a leader helps individuals from all backgrounds recognize and employ their own strengths.
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
    Skills demonstrated by the ability to build collaborative relationships and work in team structures in order to achieve objectives through negotiation, delegation of roles, conflict resolution, and prioritization of respectful listening.
  • Professionalism and Work Ethic
    Skills demonstrated by the ability to develop new approaches to work habits for productivity and efficiency as well as a focus on self-development and personal growth. Personal accountability, resilience, and dedication to a good reputation and ethical behavior also signify skills of professionalism and work ethic.
  • Career and Self Development
    Skills demonstrated by the exploration of potential career opportunities through self-reflection and goal setting. Career management focuses on evaluating professional opportunities for alignment with one’s skills, strengths, values, and goals.
  • Technical Acumen
    Skills demonstrated by the ability to not only utilize existing digital technologies, but to compare technologies to find efficient solutions to problems and the ability to demonstrate fluency by adapting to changing and emerging technologies.