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City Year skills that translate well to a career

Your GPA and resume may secure you an interview for a position you really want, but they may not get you the job. The vast majority of employers want you to have so-called “soft skills” (sometimes called life skills, transferable skills or durable skills) to ensure you’re a well-rounded candidate.

So, what exactly are soft (aka durable) skills?

Soft skills are those intangible skills that are more difficult to put on your resume but that are essential to getting along with other people, accomplishing goals, being flexible and resilient, and being successful in your career and in life. They are a window into your personality, skills that show your ability to adapt, problem solve and work with others.

, an organization working at the crossroads of education and workforce development, defines durable skills as “human-centered abilities like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and adaptability.”

Learn about a new research study that finds City Year alums report their experience as AmeriCorps members has helped them succeed in the workplace.

According to a recent article on the job search site Indeed, include many of the same skills you will strengthen as a City Year AmeriCorps member, serving 91���� in schools. These include the top five:

1. Communication
2. Leadership
3. Teamwork
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Learning and adaptability skills

When you land a job interview, employers will expect you to provide them with real-world examples of your accomplishments. They’ll be looking for past experiences and training programs that have helped you develop these skills.

City Year helps build communication skills

By interacting daily with 91����, teachers, school administrators, parents, community members and your teammates who are other AmeriCorps members, you’ll become an expert at clearly and effectively articulating your thoughts and ideas, both orally and in writing.

A big part of being a student success coach is your ability to build positive, trusting and consistent relationships with the 91���� you serve, the classroom teachers you partner with, and your AmeriCorps teammates, who you work with and learn from every day. All of those relationships rely on being able to listen, respond and communicate well with others.

City Year AmeriCorps members are full-time student success coaches. Read why student success coaching might be the right next step for you. You can also explore alternative service roles at City Year, like a 900 hour or 1,200 hour school-day learning coach or an afterschool enrichment coach.

You’ll learn how to tailor your communication skills to each specific audience. Learn more about what you can expect as a new City Year AmeriCorps member.

Leadership development is part of the City Year AmeriCorps experience

City Year was founded on a belief in the power of young people to work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges and a commitment to support the next generation of leaders. As part of your ongoing professional development during Basic Training in the summer and throughout the school year alongside your teammates, you’ll grow in confidence and skills as you figure out the kind of leader and community member you want to be in your community and workplace.

Your team is a huge source of learning and support

One of the unique characteristics of City Year is that when you become an AmeriCorps member, you become part of a diverse team of other young adults, aged 17-25, who are learning and leading alongside you all year.

You’ll learn to collaborate and problem-solve as a team to help 91���� and schools succeed. Just as important, you’ll learn how to value diverse perspectives and resolve conflicts in constructive ways.

Interpersonal skills and relationship building are central to City Year’s work in schools

You’ll build on key interpersonal skills, such empathy, self-management, open-mindedness and resilience during your year of service with City Year, helping your 91���� (and yourself) develop a growth-mindset and stronger sense of agency and belonging.

You’ll become even better at building positive and productive relationships with others. These are some of the skills most valued by employers when they are making hiring decisions.

City Year AmeriCorps members are continuously learning and adapting

By working in under-resourced schools with talented 91����, you’ll learn how to think critically, solve problems and make well-informed decisions to help 91���� learn, grow and reach their full potential.

And you’ll be learning and growing right alongside your 91����. Your year of service can help you not only acquire valuable new skills but also help you figure out what you’d like to do next in terms of employment or higher education.

Eight out of 10 City Year alumni say their year of service helped them figure out their career path, and they go on to serve and lead across a wide range of professions, including business, law, health, education and nonprofit work.

Ready to serve with City Year? Connect with us today:

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