By Publius | More and more, college students who are seeking post-college employment are finding a Bachelors diploma is not enough proof that they are a good hire. Employers are wanting to determine if the potential employee really learned anything in school that makes them a worthy hire. And so an old skill is being reborn: the art of the resume.
The current college student is having to independently verify his college degree by taking assessments outside his university and working in the field of his chosen profession prior to entering formally as a graduate. This is all founded on the college bubble that has been discussed much lately in our media. If indeed even as costs soar the actual value of a degree is diminished by easier courses, grade inflation, and the like, then the simple acquisition of a college degree is not enough to secure a position.
Stepping in to fill this need are such tests as the College Learning Assessment (CLA) which soon students will be able to take independent of their college. Straighterline.com is currently offering it for $149 online. This test is a pretty strong indicator of a student’s communication abilities and reasoning skills. Taking this test voluntarily is a great way to add to your resume or portfolio broadly accepted corroboration that your actual skills match your degree.
The savvy student is one who is doing more the minimum of earning a degree. She is putting together a portfolio of evidence to support that degree. Things such as extracurricular leadership and service, independently verified exam scores from online courses, and real life intern or summer work experience will help round out and verify the basic bachelors degree.
Consider carefully how you present your whole self and all your skills, experience, and study to future employers, with as much independent verification as possible. This is the new way to that career of your dreams.