Getting Started

Graduate Skills: What Employers Want

• Introduction - Organisational Skills
• Organisational Skills (continued)
• Matching Graduate Skills to Organisational Requirements

Introduction - Organisational Skills

Each year, many employers use a variety of processes to test for desired skills in job applicants. For their part, university Careers Services actively seek to discover which skills employers value, so they may develop a range of 'training opportunities' (more commonly referred to as workshops) for students. These workshops are offered to encourage you to be aware of needed skills and work on building your own skills profiles. But more on this theme later!

What are the Type and Nature of Skills Required by Graduate Employers?

Let us have a look at what has been discovered about graduate skills so far. Some early United Kingdom (UK) research identified organisational skills as being important. These organisational skills were divided into: teamwork; problem solving; communication; and management. As such could be used in different locations/jobs/contexts, they were called 'transferable skills'.

Australian research found that large businesses wanted their graduate recruits with skills in the areas of oral and written communication, interpersonal relations, numeracy and economic literacy. In addition some knowledge and understanding of Asian culture and values, worldliness, the ability to apply knowledge and to be able to recognise, accept and constantly seek opportunities for change in the context of world best practices was required. This range of skills was expected of graduates regardless of the degree they had completed.

Similar Australian research about what small businesses wanted in their graduate (and other) recruits revealed the following areas: an entrepreneurial attitude; the capacity to identify and exploit employment and wealth creation possibilities (which) arise from a combination of initiative, enterprise, knowledge and skills; and skills which relate to work as a whole and an ongoing capacity for learning. Further UK research described the major skills wanted by employers of new graduate recruits in the form of the ideal 'self-reliant' graduate. These 'skills' were in addition to the technical skills and subject knowledge acquired in degree programs. List 1 below shows the skills required in the ideal 'self reliant' graduate recruit.

List 1: Skill Requirements for the Self-reliant Graduate

Self Awareness

Able to clearly identify core strengths, skills, values, interests and other personal attributes. Equipped with evidence of abilities (eg. summary statement, record or portfolio). Actively willing to seek feedback from others and able to give constructive feedback. Able to identify areas for personal (eg. communication skills), academic (eg. courses needed to be done to improve knowledge and skills) and professional development (eg. skills and training need to function more effectively and efficiently in their chosen job).

Self-promotion

Able to define and promote own agenda (ie. what you want from a job), can identify 'customer needs' (academic/community/ employer) and can promote own strengths in a convincing way, both written and orally, selling 'benefits' to the 'customer'.

Exploring and Creating Opportunities

Able to identify, create, investigate and seize opportunities. Has research skills to identify possible sources of information, help and support.

Action-planning

Able to plan a course of action which answers the questions: 'Where am I now?’, 'Where do I want to be?', 'How do I get there?'. Able to implement an action plan by:

• organising time effectively
• identifying steps needed to reach the goal
• preparing contingency plans (ie. alternative plans in case the preferred plan does not work or can not be used)
• able to monitor and evaluate progress towards specific objectives (ie. am I achieving my goals?).

Networking

Aware of the need to develop networks of contacts. Able to define, develop and maintain a support network for advice and information. Have good telephone skills. Whether you are seeking your first graduate job after finishing university or are doing some searching before you finish your degree, a common question is ‘What do employers want from me?’. This article will look at the skills being sought by recruiters of graduates and identify some strategies that can help you to become more aware of required work skills and develop them to meet both your needs and those of your future employers.