In this column, Career Advising Fellow Alysia McGlone writes about the value of a degree in the liberal arts and sciences.
The long-standing idea that intangible skills are not valuable to the success of a company is antiquated, misleading, and a vague representation of the true nature of this skillset.
Terms like people skills, hospitality, and a customer service mentality, or interpersonal, leadership, and behavioral skills, or even communication, human, and technical skills all indicate how a candidate is grounded in a humane connection to others, industry concepts, and has the frame of mind to apply one’s listed abilities while positively impacting people. The term “soft skills” is inadequate because it is dismissive, vague, and implies that employers find these skills as optional or that they are unable to be learned or measured like any tangible skill. This simply is inaccurate.
Still not convinced that a major, minor, or concentration in Elon Colleg,e the College of Arts and Sciences will be sought after by employers? Then review these data points. In 2013, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) revealed in a National Survey of Business and Nonprofit Leaders that 80 percent of employers care more about their need for all graduates to obtain broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences.
Critical thinking, communication skills, and complex problem solving are of greater importance than the actual undergraduate major. Additionally, 95 percent state that mastering these skills adds innovation in the workplace, and approximately 95 percent also state that ethical judgment and integrity, intercultural skills or diversity engagement, and continuing education are highly sought in a new candidate.
In 2018, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), a leading organization in career development, supports the findings stated above. Instead of thinking about a “culture fit”, employers and recruiters believe it is time to begin thinking about “culture add”. What do you add to your organization? Furthermore, in the age of COVID-19 and beyond, the usefulness of liberal arts skills are now more than ever able to be shown via innovative responses to crisis management across all industries.
Market intelligence, global supply and demand shifts, and adaptability all intertwine to show your personality, and how you are able to showcase resilience and motivation.
How to market your liberal arts and sciences background in your personal brand
Don’t forget that Elon University offers all students in all majors a liberal arts and sciences education! Pair your liberal arts and sciences expertise, resilience, and desire for continuing education with tangible evidence through this massive list of resources, which contains 15 key skills for graduates. Asking your professors about how learning objectives specifically relate to these competencies will help you and employers know how the curriculum is preparing you to be a valued contributor to the workplace.
Furthermore, research the job market before graduation to determine the in-demand skills of today. This and obtaining LinkedIn Learning course completions and certifications will prove to employers that you are serious about being a top candidate. It will also provide points of connection when building relationships with professionals in your field as you engage in the processes of networking and informational interviewing. Log in with your Elon student email username and password to get started today.
Lastly, don’t overlook your volunteer, abroad, service, or research opportunities, either. Archive your service and research projects in your LinkedIn profile by redacting any identifying or confidential data in your Experience and/or Featured sections of your profile will provide a “show” versus “tell” approach to credit your skills to employers.
Want more reasons for how your liberal arts and sciences education applies in the workplace setting? View information about salaries, places of work, and knowledge application of the liberal arts and sciences from King University and a representative from Chapman University. The skills offered by a liberal arts education will last a lifetime and can be applied even as technologies fade and the next technologies emerge. So, market yourself with pride knowing a liberal arts degree will surely add to your professional and personal development.