Sociology Students’ Career Readiness Initiatives
As a sociology student and a student worker at NEIU’s Career Development Office, I’ve noticed a significant gap in knowledge among social science students—particularly sociology majors—regarding how to identify and articulate the transferable skills they develop through their coursework and academic experiences. Unlike STEM or professionally-focused pathways, where a degree often directly aligns with a specific career (for example, a marketing major gaining technical skills to work in marketing), sociology provides a broad and versatile education that can prepare students for a wide range of roles.
Many sociology students are unsure how to connect skills such as critical thinking, research, data analysis, communication, teamwork, and ethical decision-making to potential careers. Importantly, sociology majors should not feel limited or pigeonholed into one career path simply because their field is less directly vocational. Recognizing and translating these transferable skills is essential for empowering students to explore diverse professional opportunities, confidently pursue internships, and communicate their value to employers across multiple industries.
First Step in Addressing the Gap: Surveying Sociology Students to Assess Career Readiness
Survey Purpose: Measuring Career Readiness for Sociology Students
I identified a need to better understand the career readiness of sociology students and the type of support they require from the Career Development office. To address this, I created a 30-question survey in collaboration with Professor Juan Martinez and Professor Brooke Johnson. The survey assessed students’ resumes, cover letters, transferable skills, internship and job experiences, and confidence in applying their sociology knowledge in professional settings. By collecting this data, we were able to pinpoint areas where students felt prepared and where additional guidance was needed. Because this was the first large-scale campaign I started myself, my participant goal was to have at least 25% of all sociology students take the survey.
Second Step: Analyzing the survey results.
After collecting the survey responses, I analyzed the data and identified common themes across participants’ answers, such as areas of strength, gaps in confidence, and specific career support needs. Using these insights, I created a comprehensive 36-page report that summarized the findings, highlighted patterns, and provided actionable recommendations for the Career Development office. To maximize participation, I promoted the survey through emails, word of mouth, and social media, resulting in 50% of all sociology students completing it—exceeding the participation goal I had set. This step not only allowed me to turn raw data into meaningful insights but also demonstrated my skills in research, analysis, reporting, and outreach.
Next Steps:
Collaborate with Career Development supervisors and Sociology Department leadership to determine strategic initiatives and prioritize support services for students.
Design and host targeted workshops based on student-identified needs, including resume revision sessions, mock interviews, cover letter creation, and general career exploration guidance.
Administer a follow-up survey by mid-Spring 2026 to measure student growth, assess the effectiveness of programming, and inform future career development initiatives.