Skills Employers Want From Graduates

What employers look for in new graduates

It's that time again! Millions of new college graduates will walk the stage at graduation.  Many will be anxious about making the big transition from college campus to business campus.  Some will be wondering whether or not they have the skills employers want from  graduates.

Most new grads delay the job search until after commencement

Some new graduates will have their new jobs lined up before graduation.  Most new graduates, however, will not even have started the job search process by the time commencement rolls around.  In fact, most new graduates will leave college to join the ranks of the unemployed; college diploma in one hand and college debt in the other.  Once the job search begins in earnest new graduates will begin to ask themselves questions like - Am I prepared? what do I know? What skills do employers want from graduates? Do I have those skills?   To know what skills employers want from graduates we look to the annual employer survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.  Here, employers rate the skills they want from graduates on a scale of 1 to 5 where 5=extremely important.

Do you have these skills employers want from graduates?

• Ability to work in a team structure - 4.55

• Ability to make decisions and solve problems - 4.50

• Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work - 4.48

• Ability to verbally communicate both inside and outside the organization - 4.48

• Ability to obtain and process information - 4.37

• Ability to analyze quantitative data - 4.25

• Technical knowledge related to the job - 4.01

• Proficiency with computer software programs - 3.94

• Create and/or edit written reports - 3.62

• Ability to sell and influence others - 3.54

Make sure your resume reflects these 10 skills employers want from graduates.  Also use this list during interview prepartion.  Being able to speak to what employers want is a wise job search strategy.Read more about What Employers Seek From New Graduates? Read the full Job Outlook NACE report here!