Insights, advice, and perspectives from the Career Center
I recently spoke with Leigh Ann Muth-Waring about what employers are looking for in students, from the skills and experiences they value to the feedback employers want students to hear. We also talked about how employer expectations have changed over the years.
Let’s take a look at what she shared!
What qualities are employers looking for in students?
Believe it or not, there isn’t a universal list of qualities that employers are looking for. What an employer values can depend on the industry, role, and type of position you’re applying for, whether that’s an internship, full-time position, or summer job.
They do, however expect you to have transferable skills that can be relevant to the role or industry you are interested in.
Verbal and written skills are in high demand as employers want to make sure that you know how to communicate in different capacities.
They also want to know that you know how to communicate effectively without relying on AI. Leigh Ann states “AI is a useful tool, but employers want to make sure students can have those conversational and written skills that they can use when communicating with clients, colleagues, and leadership.
A few other skills that employers say are important are:
Critical thinking skills– Can you evaluate, analyze, and reflect on information and processes?
Problem solving skills – Are you able to identify an issue, understand it’s cause, and develop a solution?
Effective team working skills – How well do you communicate and collaborate with others?
Emotional intelligence – Can you manage your emotions and communicate effectively with others?
What Skills or experiences are employers looking for now that they weren’t a few years ago?
As the workplace continues to change, so do employer expectation. Leigh Ann highlighted several areas where she is seeing increased demand:
Technical and AI skills – Employers want to know that students know how to use AI as a tool to guide them in completing the job and not using it to completely conduct the job.
Adaptability – As a result of covid, employers value employees who can pivot and adapt easily.
Cybersecurity awareness – Employers increasingly want students to have a basic understanding of cybersecurity, including protecting information, storing data appropriately, and recognizing potential security risks.
What can you do with this information?
As you gain new experiences and have conversations with employers, take time to reflect on the skills you already have, and the ones you’d like to develop.
You don’t need to have every skill an employer is looking for. Instead, think about how your experiences have helped you develop transferable skills and how you can continue building them.
Want to talk through your experiences or identify skills you can highlight in your job or internship search?
Connect with the Career Center through Drop-In Advising or schedule a Career Advising Appointment!
Stay tuned for the next Behind the Scenes to learn more about career fairs!
