Employer demands from business graduates

McMurray, Stephen; Dutton, Matthew; McQuaid, Ronald W; Richard, Alec

Abstract

This paper reports on research carried out with employers to determine demand for graduate business and management skills in the Scottish workforce.
The research found that the factors which were most important to employers when recruiting graduates, with a business school first degree, were: personal attitude, employability skills, relevant work experience, and degree result. The most important transferable skills to employers when recruiting graduates were: trustworthiness, reliability, motivation, communication skills and a willingness to learn.

Citation

McMurray, S., Dutton, M., McQuaid, R. W., & Richard, A. (2016). Employer demands from business graduates. Education and Training, 58(1), 112-132. https://doi.org/10.1108/et-02-2014-0017

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 1, 2014
• Publication Date: Jan 11, 2016
• Deposit Date: Sep 18, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 11, 2016
• Journal: Education & Training
• Print ISSN: 0040-0912
• Electronic ISSN: 0040-0912
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 58
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 112-132
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/et-02-2014-0017
• Keywords: Employability; graduate; employment; skills; employers; students
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/9126
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2014-0017
• Contract Date: Sep 18, 2015