Today’s graduates are missing out on job offers in marketing and advertising because of a lack of professional maturity and work readiness, with some even accused of being “work shy” and having a lack self-awareness when they try to join the workplace.
So says a new study by Regent’s University London, based on a survey of 552 global recruitment decision makers carried out by Obsurvant.
It found that a strong work ethic is the number one skill graduates are lacking, followed by other soft skills, including communication, decision making and accountability. These interpersonal skills are becoming increasingly more important, with 100% of those surveyed saying they prioritise graduates with strong soft skills over academic accolades and technical skills.
In fact, more than a third (36%) of recruiters feel candidates for marketing and advertising roles need to demonstrate initiative and self-motivation more now than they did five years ago.
Practical experience is also lacking, with a further one in five recruiters saying candidates are not making the cut because of a deficit of on-the-job experience. Because of this skills gap, 82% say they prioritise graduates with practical experience over those without it.
Meanwhile, nine out of ten (91%) recruiters also believe that traditional university education does not adequately prepare candidates to thrive in a professional communications environment, which is leading graduates to fail not because of grades, but because of a disconnect between their theoretical skills and real-world ability.
Universities failing to properly prepare their students are directly causing graduates to miss out on jobs, with one in five recruiters saying they have rejected them because of these skills gaps.
This, alongside extreme competition for graduate roles and economic shifts, has led to a saturated market and those who have recently left university struggling more than ever. A separate report from education tech provider Jisc showed that graduate unemployment rates rose from 5.6% to 6.2% between 2021/22 and 2022/23, in addition to full-time employment falling from 59% to 56.4%.
And, when graduates do land roles, it is taking them longer to prove themselves to their employers, with 91% of recruiters for marketing and advertising roles globally saying they have increased probation periods for graduates because of misaligned expectations around work ethic and softer skills.
Regent’s University London vice-chancellor and CEO Professor Geoff Smith said: “It’s increasingly clear that traditional approaches to higher education are no longer preparing students for the realities of working in the marketing and communications sector. With many recruiters believing graduates are ‘work-shy’ despite their eagerness to work, it’s evident that change is needed.
“Universities must change in order to prepare students to communicate and thrive in the workplace. At Regent’s, our marketing and media courses prioritise learning by doing, delivering dynamic, collaborative classes on campus through direct engagement with leading brands and practical field trips such as attending the AI Summit London. This approach, combined with our truly international community, gives our graduates the resilience, confidence and global fluency they need to step into successful careers.”
Related stories
Stressed marketers facing conflict at work and at home
Risk of burn-out rockets as firms seek productivity gains
Bad bosses ‘are to blame for WFH productivity issues’
Overworked and underpaid: Marketing industry in crisis
UK firms risk boycott over plans to ditch hybrid working
Be the first to comment on "‘Ill-prepared and work shy’ graduates being left behind"