Though many students seek graduate degrees to increase their level of employability and career opportunities within the workforce, the earned degree alone is not always sufficient for them to obtain employment or promotions post-graduation. Generations of college graduates have encountered challenges and barriers to employment in their field of study post-graduation (Abel et al., 2014). Despite the frequency of school-to-work transitions, job search can be a nonintuitive and tedious process for many individuals (Liu et al., 2014). In addition, it is common for job seekers to lack confidence in adequately conveying their learned competencies, transferrable skills, and graduate experiences, a critical component for job search (Smith, 2015). While the Center for Academic and Professional Success (CAPS) supports students with general career readiness, graduate students may require additional aid surrounding specific guidance for their unique profession’s expectations. As a result, this presentation focuses on three primary career readiness tasks that instructors can tailor and integrate within their classrooms to prepare graduate students for the job market post-graduation: (a) elevator pitch, (b) interviewing, and (c) project-based experiences. The objective for integrating these career readiness strategies is to prepare graduates with the tools to effectively convey their learned concepts and skills from their programs to future employers within their industry/profession. Further, intentional focus on career readiness with graduate students may aid graduate programs with increasing their graduate-to-work statistics, thus increasing the value of their programs. Finally, in this presentation, practical implications and cultural and ethical considerations are provided to address diverse student needs.
