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Determine whether these conversations are best held one-on-one or in a small group setting.

• One-on-one conversations are best when you want to focus on individualized goals, sensitive topics, performance support, or personalized coaching.
• Small group conversations may be appropriate for larger teams where one supervisor has many supervisees, or when shared learning and peer connection will strengthen the experience.

Before selecting questions, determine which GROW+ stage best fits the student. Consider both their year in school and their experience in the role.

• Stage 1: First-Year Employee, new to the role; focused on belonging, confidence, and adjustment
• Stage 2: Returning Employee, growing in autonomy; beginning to connect work, academics, and emerging career interests
• Stage 3: Upper-Level Employee, experience in the role; developing leadership, articulating skills, and preparing for next steps.

Students may not always align perfectly with class year. Focus on where they are developmentally in the role.

Scroll down to the “Developmental Focus & Prompts” section to learn more about the questions designed for each stage of development.

Before your conversation, consider:

• Where is this student developmentally?
• What skills are most relevent to their role right now?
• What areas of growth would benefit them most?

Each stage highlights several NACE competencies, but you do not need to address all of them. Choose one or two to focus on for that conversation. Think of this as choosing a developmental lens for the conversation

Send students an email or paper memo about one week before the meeting that includes:

• A brief explanation of why you are having these conversations. The questions you’ll be discussing (anchor question + developmental prompts)
• Instructions to think about the questions ahead of time and come prepared with examples

This small step dramatically improves the quality of conversation
and reduces student anxiety. Tip: Have the student(s) use the  to prepare for the conversation)

Begin with one of the four core ���ϲ�����GROW questions:

• How is this job fitting in with your academics?
• What are you learning here that’s helping you in school?
• What are you learning in class that you can apply here at work?
• Can you give me a couple of examples of things you’ve learned here that you think you’ll use in your chosen profession?

The anchor question opens the reflection and grounds the conversation in meaning-making.

After the anchor question, select two or three developmental prompts from the student’s stage that align with the NACE competency (or competencies) you chose. Approach the questions as a conversation, not a script:

• Feel free to ask questions in any order
• Let the conversation flow naturally
• Ask follow-up questions based on what the student shares.

The prompts are tools, not requirements. Use what fits the student.

If students have a hard time answering your questions:

• Normalize it! “That’s a common question to need time to think about”
• Offer scaffolding! “Let’s think of one example from this week”
• Share your observations! “I’ve noticed you’ve been improving in…”

Your perspective often helps students recognize growth they haven’t yet named. These conversations are meant to build confidence, increase self-awareness, strengthen connection, and help students articulate their growth. They are not performance reviews. They are guided reflection conversations.

You may find it useful to take brief notes during or immediately after the conversation so you can:

• Track growth over time
• Refer back in the next check-in
• Support coaching, recognition, and development planning

Tip: Use the to track your conversations over time. Notes should focus on themes, goals, and examples, not a transcript

Wrap up your conversation by:

• Summarizing 1-2 key takeaways you heard
• Naming one growth focus or next step
• Reminding students that you will meet again later in the semester or year for a similar conversation.

This reinforces that reflection is ongoing and developmental, not one-and-done.

Over time, these conversations help students, recognize transferable skills, connect work to academics, develop professional language, and strengthen identity and direction. Small, intentional conversations create meaningful developmental impact.

• Focus on depth, not volume.
• One anchor question plus 2-3 developmental prompts is enough.
• Revisit competencies across the semester, you do not need to cover everything at once.
• Let the student’s goals, responsibilities, and stage of development guide your choices.

First year on the job | Often first-year students

Supervisor Posture: Coach + Translator

Help students feel seen, supported, and capable while helping them name learning they may not yet recognize.

NACE Emphasis

• Career & Self Development
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Professionalism

Core Anchor Questions (Use one)

• How is this job fitting in with your academics?
• What are you learning here that’s helping you in school?

Developmental Prompts (Choose two-three)

• Belonging & Adjustment
  • What has surprised you most about working here so far?
  • What part of this job feels easiest for you right now?
  • What part still feels confusing or intimidating?
  • When do you feel most confident at work?
  • Who do you feel most comfortable asking for help and why?
• Skill Awareness (Naming What They’re Doing)
  • What skills do you think this job is helping you build, even if they feel small?
  • How is this job different from things you’ve done in high school?
  • What have you learned about managing your time or responsibilities?
  • What’s something you do now that felt harder a few weeks ago?
  • How do you know when you’ve done a good job here?
• Communication & Feedback
  • When you’re unsure about something, what helps you speak up?
  • How do you like to receive feedback?
  • What kind of communication from me is most helpful?
  • What’s one question you’ve asked at work that helped you learn something new?
• Early Meaning-Making
  • How does this job fit into what you hoped college would be like?
  • What are you learning here that you didn’t expect to learn?
  • How might this job help you next semester, even outside of work?

Second year on the job | Often sophomores

Supervisor Posture: Mentor + Connector

Help students connect experiences across work, academics, and emerging goals.

NACE Emphasis

• Career & Self Development
• Critical Thinking
• Teamwork
• Leadership

Core Anchor Questions (Use one)

• What are you learning in class that you can apply here at work?
• What are you learning here that’s helping you in school?

Developmental Prompts (Choose two-three)

• Growth & Increasing Responsibility
  • How do you think you’ve grown since you first started this job?
  • What responsibilities feel “natural” to you now?
  • What do newer employees tend to come to you for help with?
  • What’s one thing you handle now that you couldn’t have handled your first semester?
• Problem-Solving & Judgement
  • Tell me about a time you had to figure something out on your own at work.
  • How do you decide when to ask for help versus try something yourself?
  • What kinds of problems do you feel most confident solving?
  • How do you handle situations when expectations aren’t clear?
• Connecting Work to Academics
  • Where do you see overlap between this job and your classes?
  • Has this job changed how you participate in class, or vice versa?
  • What skills from class show up here more than you expected?
  • How has working affected how you think about your major?
• Early Career Exploration
  • What kinds of roles or environments are you starting to notice interest you?
  • What do you want your next experience to give you that this one doesn’t?
  • How might this job help you prepare for internships or leadership roles?
  • What questions do you have about your future that this job brings up?

Upper level employees | Juniors & Seniors

Supervisor Posture: Sponsor + Strategist

Help students translate experience into language, confidence, and next steps.

NACE Emphasis

• Career & Self-Development
• Equity & Inclusion
• Leadership
• Communication
• Professionalism

Core Anchor Question

• Can you give me a couple of examples of things you’ve learned here that you think you’ll use in your chosen profession or graduate school?

Developmental Prompts (Choose two-three)

• Leadership & Influence
  • How do you see your role influencing others on the team?
  • What leadership skills have you developed here, even informally?
  • How do you support newer employees differently than you were supported?
  • How do you balance accountability with empathy as a leader?
• Articulation & Storytelling (Internships / Jobs / Grad School)
  • If you had to explain what you’ve learned here to an employer, what would you say?
  • What stories from this job best show your strengths?
  • Which NACE skills do you think this job demonstrates most clearly?
  • How would someone else describe your contributions here?
• Professional Identity & Values
  • What have you learned about the kind of professional you want to be?
  • What work environments bring out your best self?
  • What values guide how you show up at work now?
  • What boundaries or standards matter more to you than they used to?
• Transition & Next Steps
  • How is this job shaping what you want after graduation?
  • What skills do you still want to strengthen before you leave?
  • What advice would you give someone starting this job for the first time?
  • How can I best support you as you prepare for what’s next?