12 Essentials for Success

Back around 2008 the MSU Career Services Network, with the assistance of CERI and Employer Partners, created this guide to let students know about expectations in the workplace and how they are connected to college experiences. The competencies described were considered fundamental to an MSU education. 

This guide didn't’t just define these competencies. It showed—through examples from successful MSU alumni, students, faculty, and staff—how these skills fit into the workplace. Although these weren't’t the only skills employers sought, they continue to appear in entry-level job descriptions.

Please note that because this archived publication was created more than a decade ago, many referenced staff and faculty may no longer be working in the positions listed. 

12 Essentials for Success: Competencies Employers Seek in College Graduates (2008)

12 Essentials for Success: Summary List of Competencies (2008)

12 Essentials for Success: A Personal Inventory Worksheet (2008)

Special Report: 10 Skills and Competencies for Science Majors (2011)