The Five Key Qualities Employers Seek In A Candidate

This may be one of the toughest times to secure a new job. For candidates, it’s hard to stand out among others – and for employers, many aren’t very impressed with the fresh talent pool. In fact, many employers ghosted applicants entirely last year.

The issue here lies in a disconnect among employers, universities, and prospective new hires (graduates). Employers say that fresh graduates don’t have the skills they need them to have, and graduates say they weren’t given opportunities to develop those desired skills during their time at their university.

Looking deeper into the data, Workforce Intelligence for the Hult International Business School surveyed 1,600 HR leaders and graduates to get both sides of the story.

THE FIVE SKILLS CANDIDATES NEED TO HAVE

If you’re accepted to a university that offers training in these five areas, hold on to that opportunity as tight as you can — it will likely prepare you to be the quintessential hire.

First up, employers want candidates with real world experience. A whole 60% of employers think universities aren’t giving their students enough of these experiences. It turns out just 40% of students say they have these kinds of opportunities.

The next quality employers are seeking is those with a global mindset. A vast majority, 91% of employers, want their candidates to have this skill, yet only 47% of students are saying they were taught this in their universities.

Third on the list are the all-important soft skills and a knack for teamwork. This is also important to 91% of employers. They’re looking for candidates who have good communication skills, critical thinking skills, collaborate well, and show creativity. This is critical especially as AI begins to outshine employees when it comes to hard skills.

Speaking of AI – this is the fourth desired skill. This skill is the frontrunner of the group with 97% of employers saying their new hires must be fluent in AI, IT, and data analytics. This skill also has the biggest gap, with only 20% of graduates saying they have the skills they need.

The fifth is less of a skill, but we can call it career and academic planning opportunities, or a sense of career direction. According to Hult/Workforce Intelligence, 72% of graduates feel their college programs fell short in providing adequate guidance on selecting their major and degree path.

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