The Graduate Capabilities Sought by Employers Paper Example

1.0 Introduction

The business world is constantly changing and students need to understand this before they get out of school (Gee, 2018, PP. 27). As technology improves and new business-related problems emerge, companies require more than just academic skills. This is important as it helps them try to find ways to become more competitive and to make more profit. Students need to be eager to understand the most important aspects that make companies to become successful in the current business environment. Even though academic institutions are trying to come up with ways to improve the employability of their students it is still clear that the education that they get does not match most of the capabilities that employers seek. Currently employers require employees who are effective team members, have great interpersonal skills, good networkers, critical thinkers, and can be able to communicate effectively (Adams, 2014, PP.30)

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1.1 Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this paper is to explore the graduate capabilities sought by employers currently critically. It is focused on helping students improve their employability and to come out school while understanding that a University degree certificate is not enough. In addition, the report provides recommendations that would be most effective for Bachelor of Commerce graduates.

1.2 Methodology

Most of the information that will be used to prepare this report will come from secondary sources including journals and works by other researchers. All this information will be complied and presented in a simple but comprehensive manner.

2.0 Discussion

(Mourshed, Farrell, and Barton, 2013, P.365) argue that more than 30 percent of future employees will be graduates. Changes such improved technology have brought about new businesses and every student needs to ask him or herself how they are going to fit in the environment. Most studies indicate that employers are looking for workers who are not just valuable, but who are able to handle change and to bring about positive transformations in the rapidly changing business environment. Graduates who antedate change and are able to effectually communicate their innovations to their co-workers are becoming more marketable. The Degrees that students obtain are not important if they are not willing to continue becoming more knowledgeable. Below are some of capabilities that most employees look for before incorporating graduates into their companies.

2.1 Capability to Work in Modern Businesses

Improvement in technology has brought about newer terms and equipment and therefore graduates need to understand issues that relate to the current business commerce environment (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2014, P.50). Most of the graduates who are selected during interviews engage in extra-academic learning and try to understand the changes that are taking place in the business world.

2.3 Willingness to become more Knowledgeable

Even though employees expect workers who join their companies to be knowledgeable, they also look for individuals who are ready to learn (Hamari, Sjoklint & Ukkonen, 2016, P.2047). Such individuals take advice from both their peers and superiors positively. It is an important skill that allows a person to grow and become more beneficial to a business as it expands. The willingness to learn also helps an individual to establish new networks with other enterprises which is also beneficial to a business.

2.4 Teamwork

We could visualize a company as a team comprising of different team players with different skills and capabilities. Consequently, employees seek to employ people who are able to fit in different groups well and be willing to work effectively with other members. Such skills are well developed in sports and other co-curricular activities. Team members also have great interpersonal skills. They relate very well with other individuals who are not graduates and do not despise them.

2.5 Communication

Employers understand the significance of good oral and written skills (Carnevale, and Smith, 2013, P.78). Most graduates sometimes fail to understand that listening also forms an important part of communication and there are some employees who place a great deal of significance on the same. They insist that graduates should be able to put across ideas in an effective and efficient manner. Graduates need to have a range of writing abilities and also be able to create and present reports. With such skills the graduates will be able to persuade and to make business deals without struggling.

2.6 Intellect and Adaptability

Rapid changes in business have also brought about the need for workers to be flexible and be able to adapt to different work conditions. Intellectual ability is also one important aspect that employees consider. Graduates are therefore expected to be inquisitive, Inventive, critical thinkers and also good problem solvers (Drapeau, 2014, P.456). Most employers have complained that many graduates are so insensitive when it comes to innovation. The former is an important aspect in business commerce and it has always helped companies to have a competitive advantage. Intellectual individuals are also good problem solvers. They use their critical thinking abilities to come up with solutions when faced with challenges. This helps companies to remain strong and to engage in risky but profitable ventures.

3.0 Summary and Conclusions

It is clear that employees want more than the knowledge that graduates obtain in the University. Consequently, it is important that they engage in other activities such as sports to have the capabilities that most employees seek. Graduates need to be good team players so as to fit in the businesses that they get to work for. Being able to learn will help them grow and to become more beneficial. Technology-related changes are taking place and therefore graduates need to be able to work in the modern business environment. They should remember that employees understand the importance of good communication skills, intellect and adaptability. Therefore, they need to be able good listeners and be able to communicate ideas to others efficiently. As good problem solvers, the graduates will be able to help their companies to grow while engaging in risky investments.

4.0 Recommendations

Below are some of the things that graduates can do to improve their employability in the current business world:

4.1 Taking Part in Co-Curricular Activities

This is very effective especially in developing teamwork skills as the students get to meet people from different backgrounds and have to work with them (Pigden, 2017, P.45). As the students interact with others in the activities they understand how to fit in different groups. In addition, there communication skills improve and they become better problem solvers.

4.2 Research

Students should also carry out their own research to find out some of the capabilities that impress employees. Such information can be retrieved from journals newspapers, and business-related books. This will also help them to understand the modern business environment. Students should consult experienced individuals who have been in business commerce industry for a long time.

Reference List

Adams, S. (2014). The ten skills employers most want in 2015 graduates. LEADERSHIP, 11, 43AM-84.

Carnevale, A.P. and Smith, N., 2013. Workplace basics: The skills employees need, and employers want.

Carroll, A., & Buchholtz, A. (2014). Business and Society: Ethics, sustainability, and stakeholder management. Nelson Education.

Drapeau, P. (2014). Sparking student creativity: Practical ways to promote innovative thinking and problem solving. ASCD.

Gee, J., 2018. The new work order. Routledge.

Hamari, J., Sjoklint, M., & Ukkonen, A. (2016). The sharing economy: Why people participate in collaborative consumption. Journal of the association for information science and technology, 67(9), 2047-2059.

Mourshed, M., Farrell, D. and Barton, D., 2013. Education to employment: Designing a system that works. McKinsey Center for Government.

Pigden, L. (2017). Understanding the lived experiences of Joint Honour graduates: how can educators best enable student success?. International Journal of Arts and Sciences (IJAS).