Enhance your career preparedness with the Competencies Road Map
Use this Road Map as a framework to develop your six core competencies in three areas identified to enhance personal and professional success. The systematic approach helps you progress and build up your competencies using CSU resources for training open to all resident graduate students. Many of the linked resources are also available to online graduate students and postdoctoral associates. We particularly recommend engaging in our Graduate Professional Development Series for graduate students and postdoctoral associates. Please check your department, college, the Graduate Student Council, and professional organizations for additional resources and opportunities to develop your competencies.
Start by engaging in one activity listed for each core competence to see what is most relevant and helpful to you. You may then decide to pursue further core competence opportunities or additional competencies.
Immediate Use
You are likely already using these skills on a day to day basis. Enhancing your abilities in these three competencies will immediately strengthen your efforts and contribute to your future success. Click on the buttons for opportunities to develop at CSU:
Foundation Building
These competencies are foundational for any career path. Click on the buttons to find ways to develop:
Future Preparation
A graduate degree pairs with strong leadership skills to have a meaningful and impactful career. To prepare for your future, you should also visit the Career Center and conduct job searches. Click on the buttons below for opportunities to build skills that may apply to your career goals:
Core Competencies
The Graduate Professional Development Series has many sessions to help build your competencies. Find descriptions of competencies below, with lists of relevant CSU opportunities.Subscribe to the Graduate School’s event calendar to easily find upcoming events and set automated reminders. You will find a variety of professional development opportunities, CSU Writes offerings, Graduate Center for Inclusive Mentoring sessions, and social events among our 250+ curated offerings for the graduate community.
1. Personal Development Competence includes wellness and preventive mental health care, finances, and work-life balance.
Resources to get started on Personal Development include:
- Financial Planning
- Graduate Assistant Finances 101
- Wellness Planning
- The Graduate Well-Being Canvas Course
More important ways to develop in this competence include:
2. Work Management Competence includes making a plan and effectively managing your resources, including time.
Find tools at:
3. Communication Competence includes developing informative and persuasive communication, communication to the public, technical presentation, and technical writing.
Engage with the Graduate Student Showcase, our premier interdisciplinary event to highlight graduate student work from all eight colleges across campus. Resources to build this competence also include:
- CSU Writes groups and workshops
- Demo Day event with CSU Ventures
- Toastmasters Club
- CSU Speaks Event (usually in Spring, watch the Graduate Student Council website for information)
- Travel Awards for professional presentations
- Center for Science Communication
- Science in Action group
- Science on Tap events
- BIOM 750 Grant Proposal Writing and Reviewing Course
- Online GRAD 530 Introduction to Graduate Research and GRAD 540 Graduate Research Communication
- Follow institutional calendars, including the Graduate School and CSU event calendars
- Use your @Colostate email address to communicate professionally
4. Teamwork Competence includes networking and working collaboratively to building your mentoring contacts.
Ways to grow include:
- Engage with the Graduate Center for Inclusive Mentoring
- Follow the Graduate School on LinkedIn and connect with CSU alumni
- Travel Awards for professional meetings and networking events
5. Leadership Competence includes opportunities to develop personal traits in a relevant environment.
Here are some ways you can develop leadership skills and get involved as a community leader: