Employers Rank Communication Skills First Among Job Candidate Skills and Qualities

Employers look for their job candidates to exhibit strong communication skills, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). 

Employers taking part in NACE’s Job Outlook 2010 survey, ranked communication skills at the top of the skills they seek in potential employees. Rounding out the top five were analytical skills, the ability to work in a team, technical skills, and a strong work ethic. (See Figure 1.) 

“These are the skills that employers believe are important to on-the-job success,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. 

But employers have a fairly extensive roster of skills, qualities, and attributes they consider when making hiring decisions, says Mackes, and evidence that the candidate can perform the job is key. 

“Many employers use GPA to gauge ability, and look at work experience for evidence that the candidate can do the job. For a new college graduate, that’s typically gained through an internship,” she says.  

Consequently, good communication skills or a strong work ethic are not likely to make up for a poor GPA or lack of experience with many employers.  

Given equally qualified candidates, however, prized “soft skills” can tip the scales toward one candidate over the other. 

“Not surprisingly, our research shows that employers are looking for well-rounded candidates,” says Mackes. “In a tight job market, the candidate who can offer that bit more has the advantage.” 

Figure 1: Employers Rank Top 5 Candidate Skills/Qualities

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Teamwork Skills

Technical Skills

Strong Work Ethic

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