Grads poor communicators
Twenty-five percent of employers say recent college graduates lack key communication skills which are hindering them in the workplace, according to a survey released today.
The problem was the most common singled out by recruiters with 36 percent saying it was an issue. Twenty-nine per cent felt there was a lack in critical thinking skills while 21 percent pointed to a shortage of overall business skills. Both IT and maths were cited by seven percent of employers. Nearly One-in-Four UK Employers Plan to Hire Recent College Graduates in the Next 12 Months, According to CareerBuilder Survey.
Despite the problems, UK employers say those students approaching graduation will be entering into an improving, but highly competitive job market, according to the new CareerBuilder.co.uk survey. Twenty-three per cent of UK employers said they plan to hire recent college graduates in the next 12 months while 77 percent will be placing recruitment plans for this segment on hold until further assessment. Of those planning to hire, 67 percent anticipate that starting salaries will remain the same compared to 2009 while 6 percent expect compensation to be higher and 11 percent expect it to be lower. The study was conducted among more than 100 UK business leaders across industries.
Twenty-eight per cent said they planned to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between £20,000 and £30,000. Fifty per cent will offer salaries of less than £20,000 while 6 per cent will offer salaries of more than £30,000. Others declined to answer. "While we are seeing more jobs posted on our site in the UK, the job market will remain challenging for those entering the workforce for the first time," said Tony Roy, President of CareerBuilder EMEA. "It's important to be flexible. You may not get your dream job right away, but look for those opportunities that will afford you good experience and expand your professional network."
What employers look for in candidates
Thirty-nine per cent of UK employers said the candidate being a good fit for
the company culture was the most influential factor in their decision to hire a
recent college graduate. This was followed by the candidate's ability to
show relevant experience (23 percent), educational background (15 percent) and
level of enthusiasm (8 percent).
UK employers emphasised that relevant experience can come in different forms:
Part-time jobs in another area or field - 64 percent
Internships - 50 percent
Volunteer work - 36 percent
Participation in sports - 21 percent
Involvement in managing activities for sororities and fraternities - 21 percent
Class work - 14 per cent
Involvement in school
organizations - 14 percent
Survey methodology
An online survey of more than 500 business leaders in the UK, France,
Germany, Italy and Sweden was conducted in a range of
organisations between 29 April and 7 May. Business leaders included
C-level executives, directors and senior managers with recruitment
responsibilities. The survey was conducted online by Shape the Future, a
market research agency based near London which specialises in high speed online
research. The total sample size in the UK was 106, giving a margin of error of
9.52 percent at 95 percent confidence.
Created on: 22-Jul-10 15:19
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