Psy 301-CSULB

What Business Employers are Looking for

Eison (1988) had 362 representatives of business and industry who were actively interviewing college students complete a questionnaire on 15 factors pertaining to hiring psychology graduates. The 5 most important were:

• personality of students,
• grades in major courses,
• nature of non-college jobs held,
• overall grade point average,
• and awards/honors/publications.

Similarly, employers participating in a survey conducted by the American Management Society were asked to select from among nine traits the most important characteristic of candidates applying for an entry-level college graduate position. The percent rating each item as most significant was as follows (from Pilla, 1984):

• personality/motivation 35%
• education background 20%
• communication skills 16%
• scholastic performance 12%
• intelligence 5%
• work-related experience 2%

Implications for job-seekers thus include: practicing your interviewing skills; polishing your communication style; maintaining a positive grade point average; and seeking career-relevant work experiences.