Skills Employers Want

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What employers say

"There is no such thing as a career path. It's crazy paving and you have to lay it yourself"
Skills for Graduates in the 21st Century

One message from employers of graduates is clearly and consistently stated - a degree is not enough. They want someone with both academic ability and a whole set of skills to go with it. These skills are collectively described in several ways including transferable skills, self-reliance skills and key skills. Our research amongst a wide range of employers of all types and sizes indicates that they want you to have the following:

The specific combination will depend on the vacancy and for some there will be a need for additional technical and vocational skills developed through your degree discipline.

Click on any of the skills to see descriptions of exactly what employers mean and to start to identify you own level of this skill. Those marked with * also have links to online skills builder modules.

The next step is to start thinking about the skills you have and the skills you'd like to use in your future career. Use our online careers toolkit to help you with:

Career planning by undertaking some of the career assessment tests
Self-awareness to help you understand your own strengths and skills

Come along to one of the employers skills sessions to help you enhance your skills. Check out our events calendar on MyCareer.

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What employers say

"There is no such thing as a career path. It's crazy paving and you have to lay it yourself"
Skills for Graduates in the 21st Century