Research identifies most sought-after employee attributes and skills

Research released today identifies the key attributes and skills that large companies look for when hiring new candidates. The research, which was commissioned by Kingsley Leadership Academy and carried out on over 200 C-suite staff, found that:

  • Only 12 per cent of staff view grades as an important aspect when hiring a new employee;
  •  ‘Work ethic’ (60 per cent) and ‘teamwork’ (45 per cent) were selected as the most important skills;
  • Over half of professional services (55 per cent) and manufacturing companies (58 per cent) state that ‘leadership’ is the most important skill
  • Only two of the 14 industries polled, think that grades are looked upon most favourably by the hiring team

The research also found that most large companies look at a candidate’s grades only to see where their expertise lies and when interviewing for a leadership role, they would opt for someone who can exemplify creativity, people management and cognitive flexibility.

It also offered some insight into what large companies would like schools to do to prepare graduates for the world of work. Overwhelmingly, most respondents believe that schools should be teaching students the specific skills they will need in their future careers, and surprisingly, a majority of legal organisations feel that schools should allow students to pursue their interests.

Arthur Carmazzi, global top 10 leadership thought leader and developer of a new education model applied at Leadership Academy, commented,

“Over 80 per cent of large companies recognise that developing qualities of a future leader is an essential part of a child’s education, with most C-suite staff advising recent graduates who wish to reach a leadership role to think outside the box as much as possible.

“In many ways, current school systems are outdated and not preparing children to succeed in this way; encouragingly, however, this research highlights what potential employers are looking for, and in doing so, identifies the areas where schools could be doing more to prepare children for a successful career and future.”

 

 

 

 

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Rebecca Clarke

Rebecca joined the HRreview editorial team in January 2016. After graduating from the University of Sheffield Hallam in 2013 with a BA in English Literature, Rebecca has spent five years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past she has been part of the editorial teams at Sleeper and Dezeen and has founded her own arts collective.