Survey Shows What Employers Seek in New College Grads

What does it take to be the "ideal" job candidate? The National Association of Colleges and Employers recently surveyed its member companies, and the results shed light on the qualities new and perhaps not-so-new college graduates might want to emphasize on resumes and in interviews.

Communication skills and honesty top the list in what employers look for in potential employees. Other attributes that boost candidates' chances of getting hired are strong interpersonal skills, motivation and initiative, the ability to work well with others, and a strong work ethic. Each of these traits earned a rating of 4.5 or better on a 5-point scale.

New college grads who have gained relevant experience through internships or cooperative education jobs will hold an advantage over those who did not work while in college. Field-related experience, even from an internship, can put one miles ahead of the competition. In fact, in accounting and finance, internship experience counts heavily, according to a recent survey complied by Accountemps.

Also, internships or other job experience allows recruiters to glean important information about a recent grad's ability to get along with others and perform successfully in the work world. Accordingly, nearly three-quarters of employers responding to the Job Outlook 2007 survey indicated they prefer to hire new college graduates who have gained relevant work experience.

Yet, grades still count. Fifty-eight percent of the survey's respondents reported using a GPA of 3.0 as the cutoff.

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