The Candidate Skills/Qualities Employers Want

What exactly are employers looking for in potential employees?  While you can’t know exactly what each one wants, there are certain skills/qualities that will attract them.  Learn more in the following post.

When it comes to the importance of candidate skills and qualities, employers are looking for team players who can solve problems, organize their work, and communicate effectively, according to results of a new survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Marilyn Mackes of NACE

“Employers are seeking evidence of the soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace in the college students they’re recruiting,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE’s executive director.

Employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2014 survey rated “ability to work in a team structure,” “ability to make decisions and solve problems,” “ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work,” and “ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization” as the most important candidate skills/qualities.  These are followed by candidates’ “ability to obtain and process information” and “ability to analyze quantitative data.”