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From Skill to Instinct
How higher education can bridge the gap between classroom and career
In May 2021, Mursion conducted a dual survey of more than 400 recent college graduates and more than 425 HR professionals to explore the importance of people skills in the workforce and discover the ways in which these groups envision this divide to be surmounted.
The price of a college degree continues to creep higher across the country. But has the value of that degree kept pace? Students expect their investment in college to pay off in the form of meaningful employment. But why then do 61% of recent graduates feel somewhat or wholly unprepared for their careers?
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“From Skill to Instinct”
How higher education can bridge the gap between classroom and career
Higher education has conventionally focused on providing quality education for its students. However, modern students are increasingly attending higher education not for scholarly pursuits, but to increase their value in an intensely competitive job market. Upon graduating, they expect an advantage when pursuing their future career.
This expectation is putting students and educational institutions in a tough spot. While the cost of education has continued to increase, many students feel those degrees aren’t leading to the jobs they want. Employers are looking for more than technical skills from today’s prospective employees, leading to a perception of decreased return from the investment in a degree.
Without formal training in “people” or “soft” skills, are students properly prepared for the realities of the working world?
To answer this question and more, the study explores the importance of people skills in the workforce and discovers how HR and emerging professionals want to bridge this gap.
This expectation is putting students and educational institutions in a tough spot. While the cost of education has continued to increase, many students feel those degrees aren’t leading to the jobs they want. Employers are looking for more than technical skills from today’s prospective employees, leading to a perception of decreased return from the investment in a degree.
Without formal training in “people” or “soft” skills, are students properly prepared for the realities of the working world?
To answer this question and more, the study explores the importance of people skills in the workforce and discovers how HR and emerging professionals want to bridge this gap.
KEY FINDINGS
- 44% of HR professionals would hire an applicant with superior people skills over an applicant with superior hard skills
- 47% of HR professionals believe the pandemic has deteriorated employees’ people skills
- 61% of recent graduates feel somewhat or wholly unprepared for their career
- 93% of recent graduates and 74% of HR professionals believe that higher education should formalize opportunities to practice people skills
Without formal training in “people” or “soft” skills, are students properly prepared for the realities of the working world?
