The Intersection

Survey Finds Employers Still Value Four-Year College Degrees, But Want More

July 3, 2013

An outcome from The Chronicle of Higher Education and American Public Media’s Marketplace special report found that many employers value a four-year college degree more today than five years ago – as it was stated in The Chronicle’s article, A College Degree Sorts Job Applicants, but Employers Wish It Meant More.

Marketplace and The Chronicle commissioned a survey of employers who hire recent college graduates in August and September 2012, to find out how well employers think colleges and universities are preparing students for careers. The report showed that though half of the participating employers surveyed said they have trouble finding recent graduates qualified to fill positions, most colleges do a good job producing successful employees, with room for improvement.

Employers find job candidates are lacking most in written and oral communication skills, adaptability and managing multiple priorities, and making decisions and problem solving – maintaining the gap between what employers are looking for and what colleges are producing. The need for graduates to adapt and to manage multiple priorities is greatest among employers from the Business, Health, Media/Communications, and Science/Technology sectors.

The report also revealed that when evaluating a candidate for employment, not only do the employers want colleges to do more to prepare graduates for the workforce, but employers place more importance on the candidate’s work experience over academic credentials. Therefore, internships and employment during college climbed to the top of the list as the most heavily weighted attributes considered by employers.

Read the full article and see the survey report here.

Join us at The Intersection by subscribing here. Please reply with “subscribe” in the subject line.

Share This