Note to recent college grads and the Class of 2012: You may not be as ready for the working world as you think you are. At least, that's the opinion of about 500 senior managers and C-suite executives in a study by Global Strategy Group, on behalf of worldwide architectural firm Woods Bagot.
In all, a 65-percent majority of business leaders say young people applying for jobs at their companies right out of college are only "somewhat" prepared for success in business, with 40 percent of C-suite executives saying they are "not prepared at all." Not only that, but even those who get hired anyway may not rise very far. Almost half (47 percent) of C-suite executives believe that fewer than one-quarter (21 percent) of new grads have the skills they'll need to advance past entry-level jobs.
And what skills might those be? The most sought-after are problem-solving (49 percent ranked it No. 1), collaboration (43 percent), and critical thinking (36 percent). Also in demand is the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively in writing (31 percent). Technology and social media skills came in at rock bottom on the list, valued highly by only a tiny 5-percent minority of senior managers. The kicker: According to the poll, new grads fall far short of the mark in every one of these areas - except tech savvy, the least desired.
