What employers seek in graduates

The attributes most sought by employers of recent graduates has not appreciably changed in the face of  COVID-19 or the recession that resulted from it.  The recent study of Emsi, a labor market analytics firm, identified (in this order) communication, management, leadership, problem solving, teamwork, and critical thinking as the top six qualities that employers hope to find in those they hire.

Sometimes higher education leaders have difficulty accepting the importance of fostering job-related attributes, believing that broader intellectual capability is the goal. However, particularly in an environment where joblessness has increased, graduates need to be able to demonstrate their value to prospective employers. In fact, some say that the future of higher education is at the intersection of learning and employers.

The other thing that is important about the six qualities (not "job skills") is that problem solving and critical thinking are almost always at the top of the list for faculty advocating liberal arts or general education outcomes. That two of the six are so aligned is a benefit for all and should be the starting place when addressing graduates' preparation for the world of work and service. In addition, leadership educators also almost always include not only problem solving and critical thinking as learning outcome they seek to achieve but communication, management, and team work are almost always included under the broader framework of leadership capacity.

The point is that what employers seek in new hires, what faculty strive to achieve in liberal arts curriculum, and what leadership educators cultivate in their courses and experiences is well aligned. These three stakeholder groups should be collaborating so that the redesign of liberal education and enhancement of leadership learning are recognized as central to developing the workforce and citizenry of the future. 

One could easily make the case that the six qualities employers most value is actually only one thing - leadership capacity - informed by deep intellectual curiosity, focused on engagement with others, and fostered through a commitment to lifelong learning.