Learn about your Career Readiness Tier!
Ongoing investment in your career is key. Our goal is to equip you with the information, resources, and skills to obtain an internship and eventually, transition into the workforce with confidence. Like last year, we’ll be utilizing our Career Readiness Index to equitably support you in your career development – providing the right support at the right time.
What does this mean for you?
To ensure we’re meeting you where you are in your career journey, each student is placed into a career readiness tier based on self-reported survey data. The tier you’re placed in will determine your career-related requirements for the school year, and help your Making Waves Coach identify an appropriate starting point for career development.
Career readiness tiers at a glance
| Career readiness tier | Who is in this tier | Career Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1: Limited | Students with… No resume No mock interview No work experience | Create and finalize resume Goal: get internship ready |
| Tier 2: Emerging | Students with… A reviewed resume No mock interview or mock interview w/out passing score No work experience | Finalize resume + Mock interview Goal: get internship ready |
| Tier 3: Moderate | Students with… A finalized resume Mock interview w/ passing score and/or Work experience that is not an internship and/or not directly aligned with career goals | Apply to at least 5 internships Goal: career related experience |
| Tier 4: Advanced | Students with… A finalized resume Internship or career related work experience | Apply to at least 5 internships Goal: become more competitive with career related experience |
FAQ
The career readiness index is a framework our Making Waves program team uses to help bridge the gap between education and employment and focuses on gauging a student’s preparedness to successfully transition into the workforce. It also helps Coaches better understand where you’re starting from, so they can offer personalized and equitable support for your career journey.
We use 4 career readiness tiers to provide understanding of your current level of preparedness and focuses on developing skills, experience, and confidence needed to successfully transition into the workforce.
Internships are one of the strongest indicators of post-graduation job attainment; internships help you develop the experiences, skills, and social capital you’ll need to be competitive when transitioning from college to the working world. Internships have been found to offer more avenues to more job opportunities, higher salaries, greater career satisfaction and increase confidence – there are lots of reasons to complete internships. There are also lots of barriers to overcome – which is why we are here each step of the way!
You should be notified in mid-August to mid-September via email.
You career requirement is based on the tier you’re placed in. See the chart above for more information. Requirements will be assigned via your portal. You’ll be notified they are assigned.
Due dates for career requirements may vary from tier to tier, but will closely align to due dates outlined for other program requirements.
Yes, you can change tiers. The hope is that every year you invest in your career growth, complete requirements and keep us informed, and continue to progress on your career journey. There are scheduled check-points we will assess every student’s tier to ensure it’s still appropriate (beginning of August, end of September, February).
If you believe you were placed in the incorrect tier or have questions about your tier placement, please contact your Coach or email Sr. Manager of Career Coaching, Kaitlyn (kendo@making-waves.org). Updates to tiers for Fall must be made before September 29th. There will be another opportunity to re-tier in February. We will consider re-tiering on a case-by-case basis.
Dive into your to-dos and resources
We’ve got you covered with your action items and resources depending on your tier.
We’re here to help!
If you’re feeling unsure about your goals, would like extra eyes on your application materials, want help preparing for an interview, or just want a boost – we are here to help! Find your career coach and book a meeting here.
