Functional skills, sometimes called “hard” or “technical” skills, are concrete skills, behaviors and knowledge that you build mastery in. These skills require specific technical knowledge or training, and apply to many different work settings.

Forage offers virtual job simulations to help build real-life skills for real-life roles, offering a window into the company and a preview of their day-to-day. Job sims are 100% free, open access and self-paced. What you can expect:

1. Register for Forage and tell us a little about yourself.
2. Enroll in a job sim and complete tasks that replicate real work.
3. Compare your work with model answers and earn a certificate.
4. Access curated resources and a chance to connect with recruiters.

If you are applying to jobs, or starting a career, in a field that requires or recommends a professional or technical certification, you can gain an edge by investing the time to gain new skills and earn a certificate specific to the industry. Employers will typically indicate if a specialized certification is necessary for the position they’re advertising.

Across majors, industries and roles, transferrable, functional and professional skills are something ALL employers look for when hiring! No matter your level of experience, showcasing these these skills in your application opens doors and prepares you for success in your career. The more of these skills you can demonstrate shows that you are well-prepared for the role and will make your application stand out.

Alumni who have graduated more than two years ago have access to Handshake, a powerful tool to search for open positions and connect with employers. We also recommend Arizona Alumni Career Lab for tips and alumni resources and connections. The SECD website provides additional resources for career exploration, how to conduct an active job search, and tips for networking and interviewing.

If you haven’t made one, we recommend that you start with a plan. Download the Career Journey Map to visualize and map out your next steps. You may be farther along than you think! Having a plan makes for a manageable process, and for each step of the journey you’ll find helpful and relevant resources here on our website. We also suggest that you connect with an industry professional to conduct an Informational interview. If you’ve graduated in the last year, you can also schedule a chat with a career advisor to talk through your plan.

Yes! There are many ways to get involved and support your fellow Wildcats. Start by becoming an Alumni Mentor. and join the Wildcat Career Connections community on LinkedIn. Be a host for our one-day Job Shadow Program, or contact our career education team to learn more about Handshake, and internship and experiential learning programs.