Classroom Skills Employers Seek in College Graduates

The South Dakota State University CAP Center Employment News of February 2006 includes an article titled, "Classroom Skills Employers in College Graduates".  The article informs about the members of the Career Services Network at Michigan State University recently created a national award-winning publication that highlights important competencies successful job seekers develop in the college classroom.  The publication, "12 Essentials for Success", describes twelve categories of skills employers consistently cite as most important for job candidates to possess as well as the activities and processes that help students develop those skills. 

 The twelve skills categories employers seek are the following:

1. Working in a diverse environment
2. Managing time and priorities
3. Acquiring knowledge
4. Thinking critically
5. Communicating effectively
6. Solving problems
7. Contributing to a team
8. Navigating across boundaries
9. Performing with integrity
10. Developing professional competencies
11. Balancing work and life
12. Embracing change

Classroom activities are critical in helping students develop these 12 essential skills and the ability to complete key tasks, such as the following:

• analyzing and synthesizing data
• preparing and writing technical reports
• utilizing surveying and sampling methods
• applying statistics to detect trends
• understanding the impact of cultural values
• researching library materials for relevant information
• speaking foreign languages

To view "12 Essentials for Success," in its entirety, visit http://www.csp.msu.edu/pdf/competencies.pdf.

Source:  Carolyn Clague, SDSU Extension Specialist, Youth Development/4-H

For more information contact Michelle at the Extension Office. 367-7877.

 

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