New Graduates 'Lack People Skills'

Those graduating from university in 2011 are failing to show potential employers that they have the interpersonal skills needed to succeed at work, according to research by SHL, a provider of talent assessment solutions in the workplace.

SHL said that the findings are an indication that graduate recruiters can no longer rely on academic qualifications as a predictor of performance, despite the fact that three quarters of employers still require at least a 2:1 degree (according to recent AGR figures).

The findings are based on the personality profiles of more than 650 students who entered the 2010 TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards. SHL worked with the eight graduate employers sponsoring the awards - covering a range of industries from Accountancy to Engineering - to find out what they look for in graduate recruits. The top four most valued competencies from a list of eight were found to be: 'organising & executing'; 'analysing & interpreting'; 'interacting & presenting'; and 'supporting & cooperating'.

SHL said that the results present a "stark contrast" because of these top four competencies, students excel at the first two, but rate most poorly on the last two, suggesting that they struggle when it comes to communicating and working effectively with others, but are highly effective at more practical skills, such as being systematic, organised and thinking analytically.

These findings echo research by SHL in 2006 that also found key skills of influencing and communicating were an issue for many new graduates.

Howard Grosvenor, Managing Consultant at SHL, commented: "It's a really interesting picture - the class of 2011 is either very good at, or very bad at, the things that employers value the most; there's no middle ground. The key strengths of students in task delivery and problem solving are perhaps not surprising given the increasing need to balance multiple courses, projects and part-time work. It is surprising that many students still lack interpersonal skills needed in business today and in spite of the rhetoric of politicians and industrialists, the picture doesn't seem to have changed that much in the last four years."

He continued: "The results show once again that undergraduates must work hard to develop these competencies through involvement in work experience and other activities outside their degree course. They are also a warning to employers that they can no longer rely on academic qualifications as an indication of employability. Recruiters must be prepared to delve deeper in order to find those graduates with the skills they need to hit the ground running."

(KMcA/GK)