Faculty Career Toolbox

Partner with the Career Center

Fordham University's Career Center is a dedicated resource designed to empower our faculty members in integrating career readiness into their curriculum. Here in this Faculty Toolbox, you will find a comprehensive collection of tools and materials to help you develop and deliver effective career-focused presentations and class content. Whether you are looking to introduce your students to the essentials of career planning, enhance their interview skills, or connect classroom theory with practical job market realities, the Faculty Toolbox provides you with curated resources that are easily accessible and adaptable to your teaching needs. Explore our guides and templates to enrich your students’ learning experience and equip them with the skills they need for professional success.

  • The Importance of Integrating Career Readiness into Coursework

    Did You Know?

    • 90% of Fordham students participate in at least one internship
    • Students with three or more internships are twice as likely to receive job offers compared to those with only one
    • The Career Center provides access to hundreds of job and internship opportunities to help students prepare for successful careers

    Adding Career Readiness to Your Syllabi

    At Fordham University, students not only gain course-specific knowledge but also develop essential skills that will contribute to their success after graduation. By integrating career competencies into your courses, you can help students identify the specific learning outcomes they are achieving, as well as the skills they can showcase within their field. Clearly, highlighting these skills throughout your course will support students in articulating their development to potential employers, graduate programs, and other opportunities within or beyond the university.

    More than likely, your current courses will help students develop many of these skills. If your class involves any of the below elements, there are NACE skills that will be correlated.

    Group work: Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork​

    Class discussions: Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion​

    Presentations: Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, Career & Self Development​

    Writing Assignments: Communication, Critical Thinking, Technology (research)

    There are several ways to incorporate career competencies into your syllabi. See the examples below for possible approaches:

    Listed Within a Course Objective

    Example: Communication Course

    Objective: Analyze the role of media in shaping public perception and communication strategies in corporate and public settings.

    Career Competency: Career & Self-Development

    Example: Psychology Course

    By the end of the semester, students should be able to:

    Identify key psychological theories and understand their application to real-world settings such as therapy, education, and workplace environments.

    Career Competencies: Critical Thinking, Career & Self-Development

    Explain how human behavior and mental processes are influenced by factors such as culture, environment, and biology.

    Career Competency: Critical Thinking

    Conduct analyses of psychological concepts across various domains, including cognition, development, and social psychology.

    Listed Within a Project or Assignment Prompt

    Art History Course
    Objective: Analyze how race, gender, class, sexuality, region, and nation have influenced artistic movements and the creation of art throughout history.

    For this assignment, you will work in teams to develop a proposal for a virtual exhibit at a contemporary art museum on a topic of your choice. The exhibit should address a modern issue related to identity, experience, or history through the lens of art and must include at least 10 works of art or artifacts. Your proposal should follow the ethical guidelines of museum curation and representation, and students will need to seek feedback from at least three sources. Individually, you will also submit a reflection on the process of completing this project.

    General Syllabus Language

    Throughout your time at Fordham, identifying and articulating the NACE career competencies, technical skills, and transferable skills you acquire in your coursework will be crucial to your career readiness and post-graduation success. In this course, you will have opportunities to build and enhance the skills and competencies employers and graduate programs are seeking. Through assignments and discussions, students will develop the ability to identify and communicate these skills when applying for internships, jobs, leadership roles, graduate school, and more.

    Adaptive Syllabus Language

    In collaboration with Fordham's Career Center, you will be able to identify and articulate the NACE career competencies, technical skills, and transferable skills you are developing in this course. These competencies are critical for career readiness and success as a student and post-graduation. This course will offer opportunities to enhance transferable and technical skills, such as initiative and time management, alongside technical skills like Adobe Photoshop and MATLAB. Additionally, you will gain and refine career competencies, including communication and critical thinking, all of which are sought by employers and graduate programs. These skills will be cultivated through assignments and class discussions and will help students apply for leadership roles, internships, jobs, graduate school, and fellowships.

    Competency Mapping

    For assistance in aligning your course learning objectives, assignments, activities, and assessments with career competencies, contact Cheretta Robson at [email protected] to schedule a meeting.

    These examples and sources were from resources from the University of Connecticut.

  • Resume: Using the Fordham Career Center Guide to Resume Writing, students create or update a resume draft. They should then bring this draft to the Career Center for a scheduled appointment or walk-in consultation. Afterward, students will submit the final draft to the instructor. Some instructors may request students to have their draft stamped by the Career Center staff member as proof of their visit. 

    Interview Preparation: Students learn and practice interview techniques with the Career Center, scheduled as a 45-minute appointment. A brief summary or reflection of their interview experience is a recommended way to grade this assignment.

    Participation in a Career-Related Event: Throughout the year, various career-related events are held, including Career Center Kickoffs, Professional Development, Information Sessions, Employer SIte VIsits, Alumni Panels, and Career Fairs. s. A brief summary or reflection of their experience or a photo of themselves at the event is a recommended way to grade this assignment.

    Career Counseling Appointment: This is an excellent option for a diverse student group. Students can schedule an appointment with a Career Center staff member to discuss various career-related topics, such as:

    • Resumes and Cover Letters
    • Job or Internship Search Strategies
    • Career Options and Opportunities related to their interests and skills
    • Mock Interviews or Interview Preparation 

    A brief summary or reflection of their counseling session or a related document (e.g., resume) is a recommended way to grade this assignment.

  • Career Center Presentation

    Invite a Career Center or employer professional to present to your class. Our team is prepared to engage with your students, either in your classroom or at the Career Center. We offer presentations that can be customized to fit any class period and cover a range of topics. If you have specific requests, we are happy to accommodate them. Please contact the Career Center or use the link below to fill out the request form.

    For questions and inquiries, please contact Cheretta Robson at [email protected] 

    Request a Career Center Presentation

    Employer Presentation

    Engaging with industry professionals can provide invaluable insights and real-world perspectives for students. We invite employers to participate in classroom discussions, where they can share their experiences, answer questions, and connect with the next generation of talent. This collaboration not only enriches the learning environment but also helps students understand the skills and competencies sought after in their fields.

    If you are interested in joining us for a discussion or presentation, please fill out the form below to discuss potential topics, scheduling, and how we can best facilitate this valuable exchange. Your expertise can inspire and prepare our students for their future careers!

    For questions and inquiries, please contact Brittany Perez at [email protected] 

    Request an Employer Presentation

  • Subject: Take Advantage of Career Resources Available

    Hi Students,

    As you continue with your courses this semester, I want to remind you of the resources you have available in the Career Center. The career counselors can help you explore career paths, find jobs and internships, prepare for interviews, and engage in various career events with employers. The earlier you engage with the Career Center, the more beneficial it will be for you—it’s never too early to start thinking of your future career.

    Visit the Career Center's website to find resources, or you can make an individual appointment with your counselor. You can also see job and internship postings, on-campus recruiting opportunities, and career events there. If you are not a business major, University Career Services has staff who specialize in other majors on campus and can provide similar services.

  • Faculty Guide to Ethical and Legal Standards in Student Employment

    Principals for Ethical Practices - NACE

  • Faculty are often asked to recommend students for various career opportunities by both students and employers. Use this guide to stick to ethical practices in giving referrals and writing references.

    Student Referrals: The Principles for Ethical Professional Practice are based on two basic precepts: maintaining a recruitment process that is fair and equitable and supporting informed and responsible decision-making by candidates. Avoid possible legal and ethical pitfalls by following these tips:

    • Practice reasonable, responsible, and transparent behavior
    • Act without bias
    • Ensure equitable access
    • Comply with applicable local, state, and federal laws
    • Protect confidentiality of students’ career and recruitment-related information

    Candidate Referral: If you receive a request for student referrals:

    • Send the request from the employer to the Career Center to post for all qualified candidates
    • If you do choose to encourage students to apply, don’t limit to only one class of individuals

    Referring Candidates of Diverse Backgrounds:

    • Immediately contact the Career Center to inform them of such a request
    • You may also make announcements in class, post signs in your department, and notify relevant student organizations

    Providing References: If you are asked to provide a written or oral reference:

    • You must have prior written authorization from the student
    • You should provide information that is based on facts and not on personal information unrelated to the student’s qualifications for the job

    Writing Reference Letters: If you are asked to provide a reference, consider these questions:

    • Who will see this information?
    • Is the person asking for a reference entitled to that information?
    • What is the purpose of the information?
    • Is the information accurate?
    • Is the information misleading?

    When in doubt: Contact the Career Center!

    Information pulled from the National Association of Colleges and Employers website. Find reference letter templates, tips, and more:

    A Faculty Guide to Ethical and Legal Standards in Student Hiring

    How to Write a Reference Letter

NACE Career Readiness Competencies

Career readiness is a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare the college-educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management.

There are eight career readiness competencies, each of which can be demonstrated in a variety of ways. Review a definition of each competency below as well as download supplemental materials to support and incorporate into your initiatives.

  • Career & Self Development
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Equity & Inclusion
  • Leadership
  • Professionalism
  • Team Work
  • Technology

Career & Self-Development

Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.

Sample Behaviors

  • Show an awareness of own strengths and areas for development.
  • Identify areas for continual growth while pursuing and applying feedback.
  • Develop plans and goals for one’s future career.
  • Professionally advocate for oneself and others.
  • Display curiosity; seek out opportunities to learn.
  • Assume duties or positions that will help one progress professionally.
  • Establish, maintain, and/or leverage relationships with people who can help one professionally.
  • Seek and embrace development opportunities.
  • Voluntarily participate in further education, training, or other events to support one’s career.

Communication

Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.

Sample Behaviors

  • Understand the importance of and demonstrate verbal, written, and non-verbal/body language, abilities.
  • Employ active listening, persuasion, and influencing skills.
  • Communicate in a clear and organized manner so that others can effectively understand.
  • Frame communication with respect to diversity of learning styles, varied individual communication abilities, and cultural differences.
  • Ask appropriate questions for specific information from supervisors, specialists, and others.
  • Promptly inform relevant others when needing guidance with assigned tasks.

Critical Thinking

Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.

Sample Behaviors

  • Make decisions and solve problems using sound, inclusive reasoning and judgment.
  • Gather and analyze information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.
  • Proactively anticipate needs and prioritize action steps.
  • Accurately summarize and interpret data with an awareness of personal biases that may impact outcomes.
  • Effectively communicate actions and rationale, recognizing the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of stakeholders.
  • Multi-task well in a fast-paced environment.

Equity & Inclusion

Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-oppressive practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism and inequity.

Sample Behaviors

  • Solicit and use feedback from multiple cultural perspectives to make inclusive and equity-minded decisions.
  • Actively contribute to inclusive and equitable practices that influence individual and systemic change.
  • Advocate for inclusion, equitable practices, justice, and empowerment for historically marginalized communities.
  • Seek global cross-cultural interactions and experiences that enhance one’s understanding of people from different demographic groups and that leads to personal growth.
  • Keep an open mind to diverse ideas and new ways of thinking.
  • Identify resources and eliminate barriers resulting from individual and systemic racism, inequities, and biases.
  • Demonstrate flexibility by adapting to diverse environments.
  • Address systems of privilege that limit opportunities for members of historically marginalized communities.

Leadership

Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.

Sample Behaviors

  • Inspire, persuade, and motivate self and others under a shared vision.
  • Seek out and leverage diverse resources and feedback from others to inform direction.
  • Use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods.
  • Serve as a role model to others by approaching tasks with confidence and a positive attitude.
  • Motivate and inspire others by encouraging them and by building mutual trust.
  • Plan, initiate, manage, complete and evaluate projects.

Professionalism

Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.

Sample Behaviors

  • Act equitably with integrity and accountability to self, others, and the organization.
  • Maintain a positive personal brand in alignment with organization and personal career values.
  • Be present and prepared.
  • Demonstrate dependability (e.g., report consistently for work or meetings).
  • Prioritize and complete tasks to accomplish organizational goals.
  • Consistently meet or exceed goals and expectations.
  • Have an attention to detail, resulting in few if any errors in their work.
  • Show a high level of dedication toward doing a good job.

Teamwork

Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.

Sample Behaviors

  • Listen carefully to others, taking time to understand and ask appropriate questions without interrupting.
  • Effectively manage conflict, interact with and respect diverse personalities, and meet ambiguity with resilience.
  • Be accountable for individual and team responsibilities and deliverables.
  • Employ personal strengths, knowledge, and talents to complement those of others.
  • Exercise the ability to compromise and be agile.
  • Collaborate with others to achieve common goals.
  • Build strong, positive working relationships with supervisor and team members/coworkers.

Technology

Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.

Sample Behaviors

  • Navigate change and be open to learning new technologies.
  • Use technology to improve efficiency and productivity of their work.
  • Identify appropriate technology for completing specific tasks.
  • Manage technology to integrate information to support relevant, effective, and timely decision-making.
  • Quickly adapt to new or unfamiliar technologies.
  • Manipulate information, construct ideas, and use technology to achieve strategic goals.

Career Champions

Learn how to have successful career conversations with students and how to help our students be more career-ready. 

The Career Champion Program is a 2-hour training to equip Fordham faculty and staff with the necessary

tools to have meaningful conversations with students about their career development and planning. The training covers Handshake, best practices for engaging employers, career development theories, assessment tools and the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) guidelines.

Career Champion Program Benefits

Listed on Career website as faculty career champion

Potential student nomination for faculty champion of the year

Invitation to Career Center events

Access to engage with career partners and/or host sessions in your class

Option to integrate career development assignments into the course

Online Resources

  • Handshake

    Handshake is a career management platform designed to connect students with job opportunities and career-related events. It integrates job listings from external organizations, offers a centralized hub for exploring internships, part-time and full-time positions, and participate in professional development end employer events. With its user-friendly interface, Handshake streamlines the process for Fordham students and employers, making it easier to manage applications, schedule interviews, and engage with career resources.

    To gain access to view the available jobs and events for students in your school, please follow these steps:

    1. Register for Access: Please fill out this form and you will be sent and email from Handshake when you're approved. 
    2. Log In Instructions: Once your account is approved, avoid using the SSO (Single Sign-On) option for logging in. Instead, select the login option that states, “You can also sign in with your email address.”
    3. Email Address Requirements: If you are a current student at another college campus, please use a different email address for registration. For example, if you are registered for classes with your @fordham.edu email address, use your @fordham.edu email address for your Handshake account.
    4. Posting Opportunities: If you plan to post job opportunities or hire students as an employer through Handshake, we recommend creating your student account with a personal email address.

    If you have any questions or need assistance with registration, please do not hesitate to reach out.

    Request Your Handshake Account

    Access Handshake

  • RamConnect

    Ram Connect is a Fordham networking service that allows you to connect with alumni and build connections, as well as a community that will help you with all of your future professional developments.

    "JoAnne is the best mentor that I could have ever imagined meeting, she is simultaneously so generous with her advice and her time. Her several decade-spanning career ranging from her start in advertising to media services and now doing real estate brokerage - she is an unparalleled mentor!"
    - Jonathan Ng, mentored by JoAnne Kao

    "My mentorship experience with Peter has been excellent. He is very intentional in the topics we discuss and often does research to help us have a fruitful conversation."
    - Stefania Bonanni, mentored by Peter Villucci

    "My experience in mentoring Ava was quite rewarding. Ava showed motivation in pursuing her short-term and mid-term career goals and was able to seek guidance when she needed it."
    - Ivette Martinez, mentoring Ava Poulin

    Access RamConnect

  • LinkedIn Learning 

    LinkedIn Learning is an online education platform offering a vast library of high-quality courses across various fields, including business, technology, creative skills, and personal development. With courses taught by industry experts, LinkedIn Learning provides flexible, on-demand learning opportunities designed to enhance professional skills, advance career growth, and support lifelong learning. Users can access video tutorials, engage in hands-on exercises, and earn certificates to showcase their new skills, all while integrating seamlessly with LinkedIn profiles to highlight achievements and credentials.

    Access LinkedIn Learning

    Big Interview 

    Big Interview can help you prepare for your upcoming interview and their resume AI tool can help scan your resume and will help you fix and reword things so you will have the best chance in your next interview.

    Access Big Interview

    Career Center Samples, Templates, and Resources

    LinkedIn  Handshake Resources Sample Resumes

    30-Second Pitch Sample Cover Letters  Career Fair Prep

     

  • What Can I Do With This Major?

    What Can I Do With This Major has hundreds of profiles that can help you look for resources to see what paths different college majors can take you on in the future.

    Access What Can I Do With This Major?

    TypeFocus

    TypeFocus is a career is an online personality assignment that you can take to see what career might fit you the best and what kind of work environment will best suit you.

    Access TypeFocus

  • Forage

    Forage is an online database that can help you with online simulations and help you take the initiative to learn about new careers by connecting them with the company that endorses the simulated courses.

    Access Forage

    Parker Dewy

    Parker Dewy allows you to take all online micro internships that allow you to make a more diverse resume and expand your horizons while being able to balance school and work and do an internship at the same time.

    Access Parker Dewy