Seven Skills Businesses Like in Recent Graduates
Seven Skills Businesses Like in Recent Graduates
September 12, 2011 by Taylor Studios
The SIU External Advisory Board for the College of Business participated in a strategic planning activity on Friday. My table crafted answers to the question, “What Should the Business Graduate of 2020 Look Like?” We discussed what skills most businesses would want from a graduate. The central theme was Communication and the soft skills. Our list included the following:
1. Excellent writing skills
2. Excellent verbal skills
3. Negotiation skills
4. Self responsibility as part of their attitude
5. No entitlement mentality
6. A willingness to earn your way up in the organization
7. Good attitude
Communication is critical to most employers. It is surprising how writing skills are lacking in college graduates. Can colleges teach students how to fit into a company culture, how to have a crucial conversation, how to not place blame and how to be congenial. That bar may be high. Soft skill training could be interwoven throughout all classes to achieve this.