Soft-Skills and Internships: a Fresh Graduate’s Prerequisite to Being Employed
Soft-skills and Internships:
A fresh graduate’s prerequisite to being employed
Figures are annual average percentages, US Bureau of Labor Statistics – 2010
The employment sector is becoming increasingly competitive, especially during the current economic scenario where many organizations have cut back on hiring, shedding entry-level positions and opting for more experience. Applicants who are successful in their first choice of employment generally demonstrate strong competence and compatibility, while others are forced to seek jobs in non-related areas.
Graduates often miss out on the career planning aspect during their tenure in university. In considering a fresh graduate for employment, employers regularly place strong emphasis on the graduate’s relevant skill sets and their relevance pertaining to the job description, with importance also placed on the graduate’s soft skills.
With regards to academic results, many employers are not extremely particular. This is reflected in a 2005 NACE survey, whereby 70% of hiring managers report screening applicants based on their academic results, but the largest group say they use a 3.0 GPA as their cutoff . However, an above average GPA will undoubtedly allow a graduate to stand out from the rest.
Activities qualifying as pertinent work experience as rated by employers | Activity Type | % of Respondents | Internships | 62% | Part-time jobs in another area or field | 50% | Volunteer work | 40% | Class work | 31% | Involvement in school organizations | 23% | Involvement in managing activities for sororities and fraternities | 21% | Participation in sports | 13% |
Table 1 (Source: Harris Interactive 2010)
On the contrary, experience gained that are relevant to the graduate’s applied job, and other experience demonstrating leadership and communicative skills are highly favored by employers. A 2010 survey by Harris Interactive on 2778 hiring managers and HR professionals reported that employers
A fresh graduate’s prerequisite to being employed
Figures are annual average percentages, US Bureau of Labor Statistics – 2010
The employment sector is becoming increasingly competitive, especially during the current economic scenario where many organizations have cut back on hiring, shedding entry-level positions and opting for more experience. Applicants who are successful in their first choice of employment generally demonstrate strong competence and compatibility, while others are forced to seek jobs in non-related areas.
Graduates often miss out on the career planning aspect during their tenure in university. In considering a fresh graduate for employment, employers regularly place strong emphasis on the graduate’s relevant skill sets and their relevance pertaining to the job description, with importance also placed on the graduate’s soft skills.
With regards to academic results, many employers are not extremely particular. This is reflected in a 2005 NACE survey, whereby 70% of hiring managers report screening applicants based on their academic results, but the largest group say they use a 3.0 GPA as their cutoff . However, an above average GPA will undoubtedly allow a graduate to stand out from the rest.
Activities qualifying as pertinent work experience as rated by employers | Activity Type | % of Respondents | Internships | 62% | Part-time jobs in another area or field | 50% | Volunteer work | 40% | Class work | 31% | Involvement in school organizations | 23% | Involvement in managing activities for sororities and fraternities | 21% | Participation in sports | 13% |
Table 1 (Source: Harris Interactive 2010)
On the contrary, experience gained that are relevant to the graduate’s applied job, and other experience demonstrating leadership and communicative skills are highly favored by employers. A 2010 survey by Harris Interactive on 2778 hiring managers and HR professionals reported that employers