Spotlight for Career Services Professionals

Employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2018 survey rated critical thinking/problem solving as the most essential competency among new hires. However, they also rated their new hires more proficient in other competencies.

In terms of the competencies they want in their new hires, employers rated critical thinking/problem solving as most essential. This was followed by teamwork/collaboration and professionalism/work ethic. (See Figure 1.)

In terms of proficiency, new hires appear to be hitting the mark on two competencies—teamwork and digital technology. (See Figure 2.) More than three-quarters of responding employers rated new graduates as very or extremely proficient in teamwork, and almost two-thirds rated them very or extremely proficient in digital technology. (See Figure 3.)

In contrast, the remaining competencies have far fewer respondents giving students high marks in proficiency, suggesting employers see skills gaps in these areas.

Data for the Job Outlook 2018 survey were collected from August 9, 2017, through October 2, 2017. A total of 201 surveys were returned—a 20.5 percent response rate. The Job Outlook 2018 report is available to members through MyNACE; nonmembers can purchase the report through the NACE store.

Figure 1: Employers Rate the Essential Need of the Career Readiness Competencies