Top attributes employers are looking for on college grads’ resumes
College students hoping to catch the eye of recruiters for full-time jobs and internships should highlight problem-solving, analytical, and teamwork skills on their resumes, according to results of a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Nearly 86% of employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2022 survey are seeking evidence of problem-solving skills on the resumes of the students they are recruiting this year. Meanwhile, more than three-quarters are looking for proof of candidates’ analytical/quantitative and teamwork skills. (See Figure 1.)
“These same three essential skills were the top three attributes employers looked for last year as well, signaling their consistent importance to employers,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE executive director.
On the other hand, the importance of several other resume attributes – particularly verbal communication skills – have tumbled down the list. Last year, nearly three-quarters of responding employers sought indications of strong verbal communication skills on resumes. This year, just 58.8% of employers are looking for evidence of them.
“At the same time, written communication skills remain highly important to employers,” VanDerziel notes.
“Perhaps this is happening, in part, because of the growing prevalence of electronic communication and the increasing infrequency of in-person, face-to-face interactions in our current virtual environment.”
Figure 1: Resume attributes for the Class of 2022 and the Class of 2021
| Attribute | % of Respondents Seeking for Class of 2022 | % of Respondents Seeking for Class of 2021 |
| Problem-solving skills | 85.5% | 79.0% |
| Analytical/quantitative skills | 78.6% | 76.1% |
| Ability to work in a team | 76.3% | 81.0% |
| Communication skills (written) | 73.3% | 72.7% |
| Initiative | 72.5% | 67.8% |
| Strong work ethic | 71.0% | 65.4% |
| Technical skills | 64.9% | 67.8% |
| Flexibility/adaptability | 63.4% | 65.9% |
| Detail-oriented | 62.6% | 56.1% |
| Leadership | 60.3% | 67.8% |
| Communication skills (verbal) | 58.8% | 73.2% |
| Interpersonal skills (relates well to others) | 56.5% | 57.6% |
(Source: Job Outlook 2022 and Job Outlook 2021, National Association of Colleges and Employers)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
