What employers look for in candidates

Here are the attributes employers find important in a candidate.

Washington: A new study from Oklahoma State University reveals the attributes employers find important in a candidate, and how they measure these skills.

Researchers conducted a study of more than 450 college graduate employers. They found that the top three qualities employers value in the agribusiness industry are communication skills, critical thinking skills, and writing skills. Employers were asked which signals best illustrate the five attributes being tested: number crunching ability, character, communication skills, problem solving skills, and ability to work well with others. Results indicated that internships and majors related to the job were highly rated signals, as well as foreign language skills and interviewing skills. And though excellent grades were not ranked as high as other skills and experiences, they are still important. "Each student should strategically acquire accomplishments and qualifications which are both valued by employers and consistent with the student````s preferences, goals, and talents," says Bailey Norwood, one of the study````s authors. Norwood added that grades, extracurricular activities, leadership positions, internships, and awards speak for an individual as a whole. However, he said that the study wasn’t without its faults. According to Norwood, "It is important not to allow summaries of survey statistics obscure the fact that each employer is different, and there is no one perfect college graduate." ANI