<p>"Most senior managers are unimpressed with the entry-level job applicants they’re seeing, reports a new survey.</p>
<p>Note to recent college grads and the Class of 2012: You may not be as ready for the working world as you think you are. At least, that’s the opinion of about 500 senior managers and C-suite executives in a study by Global Strategy Group, on behalf of worldwide architectural firm Woods Bagot.</p>
<p>In all, a 65% majority of business leaders say young people applying for jobs at their companies right out of college are only ‘somewhat’ prepared for success in business, with 40% of C-suite executives saying they are ‘not prepared at all.’ Not only that, but even those who get hired anyway may not rise very far. Almost half (47%) of C-suite executives believe that fewer than one-quarter (21%) of new grads have the skills they’ll need to advance past entry-level jobs.</p>
<p>And what skills might those be? The most sought-after are problem-solving (49% ranked it No. 1), collaboration (43%), and critical thinking (36%). Also in demand is the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively in writing (31%). Technology and social media skills came in at rock bottom on the list, valued highly by only a tiny 5% minority of senior managers. The kicker: According to the poll, new grads fall far short of the mark in every one of these areas – except tech savvy, the least desired. …"</p>
<p>I recall when I got hired out of college for an Aerospace Engineering job (back in the mid 80’s), my then supervisor commented that it took me about six months to transition from school mode, where I was waiting for the problem to be handed to me to solve, to work mode, where I went off and figured out what problem might eventually need solving. Then things were fine.
Some of the follow up comments to the article wonder out loud if that’s part of the unfulfilled expectations these days: not allowing time for such a transition. Or whether graduates really are less motivated. It’s hard to tell hanging out on CC.</p>
<p>“my then supervisor commented that it took me about six months to transition from school mode, where I was waiting for the problem to be handed to me to solve, to work mode, where I went off and figured out what problem might eventually need solving.”</p>
<p>I just sent this nugget off to 2 sons–one co-oping and one just out of school and fairly newly hired. :)</p>
<p>“Not only that, but even those who get hired anyway may not rise very far. Almost half (47%) of C-suite executives believe that fewer than one-quarter (21%) of new grads have the skills they’ll need to advance past entry-level jobs.”</p>
<p>Sounds like a good time to be an executive!</p>
<p>I don’t see this as any great revelation. I remember back when we were getting out of college the companies were complaining about the same thing. The same percents of new hires, by our experience, rose from the “ranks” to move into C-level positions. Those that were destined to be worker bees are still worker bees.</p>
<p>In the great restructurings of the 2000’s, the remaining executives are great people, people and smoozers. But when they need some expertise, they expect new hires and older people to immediately perform unfamiliar tasks and fit into the system. </p>
<p>For workers to play this game, they got to have to ballzys to walk away and standup when necessary.</p>
<p>Chinese Dynastic officials who obtained degrees through sanctioned cash payments instead of earning them through passing exams in the mid-late 19th century in the waning decades of the Qing Dynasty. </p>
<p>British Army Infantry/Calvary Officers where one was required to put down a large cash deposit to obtain a commission. Was common practice till 1871.</p>
<p>reads like “all these young kids will never be able to accomplish what I have! Look how awesome I am!!! BTW, I am not actually an expert in anything. I hire consultants to do the actual work or harass my employees, dropping projects on them last minute that they seem to struggle with because they didn’t know the new assignments were coming. They really need to get with the program! I sit in meetings all day and do very important things and talk to very important people. Occasionally I make a decision, but not before running it through a bunch of other people first, and if it turns out to be the wrong decision, I can blame my staff.”</p>
<p>I agree that most college students are below-average at accomplishing tasks. It is easy enough to skate through college with a good enough GPA without ever developing the necessary skills to hit-the-ground-running in the real-world. </p>
<p>For those students that ARE prepared…they look like super-stars though.</p>
<p>Problem solving, collaboration skills, critical thinking, and communication skills are all maxed out on my most recent performance review… Ask me how my projects are doing, taking into account the unrealistic deadlines and still-pie-in-the-sky technologies we have to deliver in six months.</p>
<p>Better yet, ask me how my salary’s doing after such a stellar performance review (27th in a row). </p>
<p>All the skills in the world won’t make up for the fact that an engineer in Elbonia making a quarter of what I do can “do my job just fine” in the eyes of upper management.</p>
<p>7:30am. She has an record of getting out of bed at 7 (missed her alarm), be at work by 7:30. D1 doesn’t have a lot of opportunity to spend money. She eats all meals at work and takes car service home. She did tell me that she wants to come “home” for her mandatory 2 weeks leave.</p>
<p>I really doubt grads today are any less competent than grads of past generations. The job market just lets companies be picky and require 5 years of experience for an entry level job.</p>
<p>DS current job, had a listing that wanted that had 3-5 years experience in smartphones.
Which of course, iphones, have only been around for 4 years. Palm Treo about 10 but obsolete the last 7. Never mind that its still just programming.</p>
<p>My husband is involved with hiring for his firm. We were talking about this recently and he told me they were very impressed with the caliber of some the applicants they were interviewing. He feels they are way ahead of where we were when we were starting out in the mid 1980’s.</p>
<p>The most important thing they look for is experience-kids coming in with internships/co-ops are going to go to the top of the pile. </p>
<p>When they are interviewing the most important thing they look for is how the person comes across in the interview-will they fit in with the culture of the firm. They are looking for someone who is teachable and will work well with others. They don’t just look for the highest GPA. </p>
<p>They also look for a follow up communication with no typos! They call all of the references. It costs way too much money to bring on someone with minimal experience to not spend the time beforehand.</p>