The graduate job market is changing. Although a
good degree remains a requirement for many careers,
employers are often not interested in a degree by
itself.
They are looking for evidence that a graduate has
the right skills to be able to fit into the work
place and while degrees are still highly valued
by employers, graduates now need to be able to articulate
the skills they have developed during their time
at university.
Recent surveys have shown that employers value the
following skills or aptitudes:
It does not matter what career you
are hoping to enter after graduation, most employers will
want their graduate trainees to have many of the above
skills.
Take a look at any graduate job description and you will
see these ‘Transferable’ skills mentioned. Why ‘transferable’?
Because the skills you have gained through your academic
study, extra-curricular activities and work experience
can be transferred to a variety of work settings. For
example if you have developed negotiation or persuasion
skills whilst on a JCR Summer Ball Committee then an employer
would see those skills as being useful in a marketing
role. Or if you manage the budget in your household, perhaps
a career in Finance beckons! Or did that bar job teach
you the importance of team-working skills that would be
useful in most jobs? Transferable Skills. We’ve all got
them.......what
are yours?