I thought I’d post this since it confirms my son’s experience when he graduated from Bama and was interviewing.
According to a new national survey of employers commissioned by Strada Education Network and conducted by Gallup, 90 percent of hiring professionals say they don’t focus on college rankings when making hiring decisions.
Based on interviews with 2,108 business professionals who assess and hire new employees at their companies, the majority (56%) said that college rank is “Not at all important” when making hiring decisions about an applicant. An additional 34 percent said that college rank is “Not very important.” Together, that’s a whopping 90 percent of hiring professionals who say they don’t focus on college rankings when considering a job candidate.
So, what are they looking for when hiring?
Employers are looking at skills according to the Strada-Gallup survey. Hiring and managing professionals place priority on a job applicant’s personal and technical skills, their interview presentation, and previous work experience. Beyond considering college rankings, students should consider what colleges do to develop the skills and experiences that employers value. Do they offer strong internship programs, experiential learning, career-relevant coursework, co-op job opportunities and professional mentoring? How do they connect academic content to the world of work?