There’s a question echoing louder across campuses than ever before:
“Is college still worth it?”
Students are asking.
Parents are asking.
Presidents are being asked to justify it.
And behind that question is something deeper: doubt.
Doubt that the investment will pay off. Doubt that the degree will lead to a good job. Doubt that students are building the skills they need—despite how hard they’re working.
That doubt is starting to show up in the data.
They’re not just stopping out—they’re opting out
According to the 2025 Lumina Foundation–Gallup State of Higher Education Study:
32% of college-age students have considered stopping out in the past six months.
And of those, nearly 4 in 10 said it was because they weren’t sure their degree would help them achieve their career goals—or get a good job after graduation.
That’s not just a student success issue.
It’s a relevance and value issue.
And it’s hitting institutions where it hurts: enrollment, retention, and public trust.
Graduation isn’t delivering the security students hoped for
The 2025 Monster “State of the Graduate” Report found:
75% of grads worry that the economy will impact their job prospects (up from 69% last year)
48% assume they won’t be able to work for the kind of organization they actually want
84% have already applied for jobs they knew weren’t a good fit—mostly out of desperation
Why?
55% needed the money
38% needed experience for the next job
32% were simply tired of searching
25% needed to start paying off loans
19% were under pressure from their parents
And yet, 33% say one of their biggest fears is ending up in a job they hate.
We’re preparing students for the future—
But too many are entering it unsure, anxious, and increasingly disillusioned.
What if we could change that?
What if students could see that they were making progress?
What if they got real feedback—early and often—on the skills that employers value most?
What if you could show, in plain terms, that your work is making students ready?
That’s why I’m featuring the NACE Ready Tool from Suitable.
✅ Yes, this is a paid sponsorship. ✅ No, I don’t promote tools I wouldn’t recommend to my own clients. ✅ My goal: spotlight tools that solve real problems for career services leaders.
And this one delivers.
The NACE Ready Tool helps you gather meaningful, skills-based data tied to the behaviors related to the eight NACE competencies—across student populations, programs, and experiences.
It gives students insight into their own strengths.
It gives you data you can actually use.
🎯 And it gives your institution the confidence to say: Yes, we’re preparing students for what’s next.
5 ways to strengthen career readiness—at scale
Whether or not you use Suitable's NACE Ready Tool, here are five strategies you can implement now to improve how students understand, develop, and communicate their career readiness:
1. Ground skill development in observable behaviors
Why it matters: Career readiness isn’t theoretical—it’s behavioral. Yet most rubrics and evaluations rely on vague terms like “communication” or “professionalism,” which mean different things to different people.
Try this now:
Use specific, observable behaviors tied to each NACE (or your institution’s) competency in your assessments
Replace terms like “shows initiative” with: “Identifies a task and begins without waiting to be asked”
Align supervisor and peer evaluations around those behaviors
Every competency is broken down into clear, scientifically validated behavioral indicators
Feedback is specific, actionable, and consistent across evaluators
You build shared language across programs, courses, and experiences
Clarity creates alignment—and better feedback.
2. Help students turn experience into language
Why it matters: Students often struggle to articulate what they’ve learned—even when they’ve done great work. They can list knowledge gained or specific activities, but not explain what skills they gained, how they know, or why it matters.
This disconnect hurts them in application materials, interviews, and confidence.
Try this now:
In your courses or advising, ask: “What competencies are you building in this role?”
Help students use feedback as a translation tool—not just an evaluation
Use prompts grounded in the NACE competencies’ behavioral indicators—like: “Describe a time you managed your time effectively to meet a deadline,” or “How did you respond when faced with a challenging work situation?”
Students gather multi-source feedback tied to specific competencies
Qualitative and quantitative responses help students understand how others perceive their growth
They build a language of strengths grounded in evidence—ready for LinkedIn, resumes, and job interviews
From vague answers to verified readiness.
3. Show students their progress—not just their gaps
Why it matters: If students only hear what they need to improve, they may disengage. But when they see real growth—even incremental—it builds confidence, persistence, and momentum.
This is where performance feedback becomes transformative—not punitive.
Try this now:
Incorporate self-assessments in each year in school to show change over time
Encourage students to talk about their “most improved competency”
Integrate group reflection discussions to reframe gaps as growth opportunities
Dashboards display growth over time alongside national and peer benchmarks
Advisors and instructors can guide students in understanding progress and setting next-step goals
Observer feedback normalizes performance reviews and prepares students for real-world evaluation
Growth is easier to believe when you can see it.
Imagine having this data at your fingertips!
4. Expand feedback beyond the supervisor
Why it matters: Relying on a single supervisor for end-of-term feedback can lead to inconsistencies and missed insights. Feedback is richer—and more reflective of real workplace dynamics—when it comes from multiple voices.
Try this now:
Ask students to collect feedback from peers, teammates, and mentors—not just supervisors
Integrate structured feedback prompts into your internship and co-op courses
Use the feedback as a starting point for reflection and goal setting
Students can invite multiple observers—no login required
Instructors and advisors can automate feedback collection using built-in workflows
You scale multi-source feedback without adding burden to your team
More perspectives, less friction.
5. Prove the impact of your work
Why it matters: You know you’re preparing students for success. But in today’s environment, evidence matters. You need data that speaks to leadership, justifies investment, and tells a clear story.
Try this now:
Include competency growth metrics in your end-of-year reports
Highlight readiness trends by major, class year, or demographic group
Tie outcomes back to strategic priorities—like retention, equity, or employer engagement
You can compare student growth across cohorts, majors, and national benchmarks
Generate individual reports students can share on LinkedIn or integrate into portfolios
Demonstrate institutional progress in real time—with data that actually matters
It’s not just about readiness. It’s about results.
Final thought—
The question isn’t whether students are developing skills.
They are—through internships, campus jobs, group projects, research, and leadership roles.
The real question is:
Can you prove it?
With the right tools, you can!
You can help students understand what they’re building— You can show stakeholders how your work is making a difference— And you can turn “career readiness” from a fuzzy concept into something tangible, trackable, and transformative.
That’s the opportunity in front of us. That’s the promise ofSuitable's NACE Ready Tool.
If you’d like a behind-the-scenes look—or an intro to the Suitable team—just reply to this email. I’d be happy to connect you.
Because your students are gaining the competencies that matter. Now it’s time to make that visible.
Upcoming Event!
I just gave you a sneak peek into Suitable's new Student Career Readiness Report. Check out this upcoming event to uncover the full details.
