NACE: The Qualities and Skills Employers Value Most in New Hires

A common question among students navigating the job search process is “What are employers looking for?” Similarly, the demand for higher education to provide career-focused programming that produces work-ready students is increasing. Earlier this spring, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) surveyed employers to find out what skills and qualities they are seeking in their new hires from the 2014 graduating class. The results were published in the Job Outlook Survey Spring Update.

The survey found that, after calculating a weighted average based on a 5-point scale, the “ability to make decisions and solve problems,” ranked first with a 4.7 importance rating. Not far behind with an importance rating of 4.6 were “ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization,” and “ability to obtain and process information.” Marilyn Mackes, NACE’s executive director, explained that employers are seeking students who are able to “excel in the workplace and help the organization.”

WPI’s project-based curriculum equips students with the problem-solving skills necessary to overcome real-world challenges in the workforce. In addition, projects are often completed with external constituents, providing students with professional behavior and communication training that is essential for success. WPI helps students bridge the gap between their academic and professional work by teaching them a broad range of skills instead of one specific skill set.

To read more about the survey results, visit the NACE website.