What kind of graduates are employers looking for?
Employers suggest that there is an enhancement continuum and that they want gradutes with
the potential to be adaptive, adaptable and transformative.
At which point on the continuum will I be when I
graduate?
Most of the time graduates will be somewhere between the limits, they will be adaptable.
However, graduates will need to be able to move up and down the continuum, depending
on circumstances and which point in their career they are at.
1. what kind of graduates are employers looking for?
2. What skills and attributes do employers want?
What skills and attributes do employers want?
The possession of a range of skills and personal and interactive attributes are at least
as important, if not more important, to employers than the possession of
qualifications.
Personal attributes
The personal attributes most employers want are:
intellect - the ability to analyse, critique and synthesise information in order to
solve problems;
knowledge - an understanding of basic principles rather than large stocks of
specialist knowledge;
commercial awareness- an appreciation of workplace culture
willingness to learn- the ability to learn and continue learning throughout life;
flexibility and adaptability- the ability to respond to change, to pre-empt
change and ultimately to lead change;
self-regulatory skills- self-discipline, time-keeping, the ability to deal with
stress, to plan and prioritise your workload and to juggle several tasks at once;
self-motivation- being aself-starter, resilient, tenacious and determined;
self-assurance- self-confidence, self-awareness, self-belief, self-sufficiency,
self-direction and self-promotion.
Interactive attributes
The interactive attributes most employers want are:
communication skills- the ability to communicate, formally and informally,
verbally and in the written form, with a wide range of people both internal and
external to the organisation;
interpersonal skills- the ability to relate to, and feel comfortable with, people
at all levels and to be able to make and maintain relationships as circumstances
change;
teamworking- the ability to work effectively in teams, often more than one
team at once, and to be able to re-adjust roles from one project situation to
another in an ever-shifting work situation.
Will I need the same attributes irrespective of job type?
There are innumerable studies that have shown that a set of transferable skills or
competencies including communication, teamworking, problem-solving, leadership,
numeracy, self-confidence, willingness to learn and flexibility, are widely required by
employers generally. Furthermore these lists of attributes have changed little over
time. There has been some slight shifts in emphasis, reflecting preferred ways of
working, but essentially there has been very little change in the last 2030 years.
I do not see management competencies changing significantly, what I see is that in
some circumstances, in some stage of development, some of them will be more
important than others, but things like commercial awareness, some basic intellectual
capabilities, results orientation, interpersonal skills, will always be important.
(Senior Executive, large brewing company)
Development of skills through your programme of study
University presents many new challenges for younger undergraduates which
include becoming financially independent, and meeting new people. These
challenges are recognised and valued by employers as contributing to personal
development and maturity.
During their programme, students must learn to organise their
workload and manage their time effectively in order to meet deadlines. Often
this means organising their schedule to allow enough time to undertake paid
work as well as study.
Many programmes are assessed on the basis of coursework rather than exams.
Students must therefore learn to juggle more than one project at once.
Students are now able to choose from a diverse range of subjects on modular
degree programmes. Students must, therefore,
be flexible and adaptableenough to switch between subject areas.
Through their programme of study, undergraduates learn
to communicate information both verbally and in the written form through
project work, report writing and oral presentations.
Group work exercises and team sports develop an
undergraduates teamworking skills.
In addition, students develop subject-specific knowledge and basic computer skills.
Development of skills through work- experience
opportunities
Some attributes are difficult to develop in the classroom. These include:
the ability to present and sell oneself at interview
the ability to appreciate workplace culture
interpersonal skills
Work experience is widely recognised as the most appropriate medium through which
to develop these attributes and prepare students for work.
I do believe that four-year degrees with a year out in industry is a good way of
building some of the interpersonal stuff. And I dont see any other way to do that, you
cant expect the degree to do everything.
(Head of Technology Strategy, large power company)
Not all undergraduates are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to undertake a
work placement during their degree. However, students may have the opportunity to
undertake one of the following:
structured vacation placement such as the STEP programme
ad hoc work experience including voluntary work and part-time work.
Increasingly, part-time work and voluntary work are being recognised as providing
potential opportunities for undergraduates to develop skills and attributes. Although
not highly skilled, this type of work, which often includes shop and bar work, requires
students to communicate effectively and work with others in a pressured environment.
These are all transferable skills that graduates will use in future roles.
How do employers identify skills and attributes in potential
employees?
Employers use a variety of recruitment procedures including:
fast-track graduate recruitment, aimed at fulfilling future, often management,
roles;
direct entry recruitment designed to recruit new graduates into particular roles;
job specific general recruitment uses job specific advertisements to attract more
experienced graduates, non graduates and postgraduates and;
work-placement recruitment.
Employers utilise a range of practices to identify skills and attributes in potential
recruits. Interviews are most commonly used either as a sole selection method or
combined with assessment centres where candidates may be required to undertake
psychometric, aptitude, numeracy and literacy tests. Assessment centres are most
often used for fast-track recruitment.
