Top 10 Qualities Employers Look For

According to The Job Outlook for the College Class of 2013 published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers expect an increase in hiring of new college graduates for 2013! Employers who responded to NACE’s annual survey also indicated that they are looking for certain soft skills/qualifications in new hires. The “top 10” list below summarizes what employers are seeking in candidates:

As you navigate the job search process, make sure to market these qualities to employers when you are networking, interviewing, and attending the Office of Career Services events.

Source: The Job Outlook for the Class of 2013, published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Retrieved from: www.naceweb.org.

What Students are Looking for in an Employer- Do you agree?

Recently, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) shared responses from the 2012 Student Survey of what new graduates seek in their employers.   The results have been summarized into 4 key areas below.

•  Students want to hear directly from the company and its reps via on campus programs.   Common ways this is accomplished at UT are through Open Houses, Job Fairs, Workshops and Student Organization Meetings.
• Reinforcing this branding messages through multiple resources is often the key.  These trusted contacts could be fellow students, Career Services reps, family members and faculty.
• Have a great intern program as an introduction to the company.   Key focus should be given to conducting PAID internships and internships that have project level work.  Must be meaningful experience.
• Benefits packages are becoming increasingly important as students enter the world of work.

 Do you agree with these key focus areas?   Are there other things you look for in a company when seeking a job or internship?   Comments are open, share your thoughts!

Positive News on the Job Front

It seems that the job market for recent grads has been one of fewer opportunities and the cause for major stress over the past few years.   While TheUniversity of Tampa continues to see a high percentage of its graduates attaining full time employment or acceptance to graduate schools, more positive signs on a national level should help to ease the pressure.   According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) , the job market for college graduates continues its upward trend as employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2013 survey at this early juncture expect to increase hiring by 12.2 percent.  It’s important to note that the data presented here are preliminary and will likely change by the time the survey is completed in September. Still, while not complete, the preliminary data offer early insight into the climate of the job market for the Class of 2013.  

So far, the projected overall hiring increase exceeds the plans of employers last year when they estimated a hiring bump of 9.5 percent. Furthermore, this year, only 8 percent of respondents are reporting they will decrease college hiring, the smallest percentage since 2007. 

One area that has remained the same among the Class of 2013 and the previous two classes are the degrees that are most in demand, which include: Finance, Accounting, Computer science, Electrical engineering, and Mechanical engineering.  

The Office of Career Services has a full slate of events this year to help connect you with opportunities and companies to network with.   The calendar of current events is available in HIRE-UT.