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Managers value attributes over skills for entry-level hiring, survey finds

March 20, 2015

Managers place a higher importance on soft skills like attitude and work ethic than hard trade skills when considering new candidates for entry-level positions, according to a survey released by Instructure, a software-as-a-service company and creator of the Bridge learning and engagement platform. The survey measured which factors managers take into highest consideration when hiring, which attributes they see as most important to the success of entry-level employees, as well as how they perceive employee competence in those same areas before and after formal training.

When hiring, virtually all managers said attitude and work ethic are the most important considerations in choosing a candidate and 85% reported work ethic as the most important attribute for employee success. Meanwhile, 79% of managers said a candidate’s prestigious schooling was the least important consideration.

“As we combed through the data, we were surprised to find that managers valued soft skills over hard trade skills when looking for new entrants to the workforce,” said Instructure CEO Josh Coates. “This study provides a blueprint for millennials to follow as they prepare for their first forays into the workforce.”

The study found once hired, managers regard the skills entry-level employees learned in school almost as important as soft skills for success at work. The responses reveal managers hire millennials based on key attributes, then hope to effectively train them to develop other skills they need to excel in entry-level positions. While 85% of managers feel their organization is effective at training new employees overall, only a small percentage of managers feel that their training is effective in improving vital attributes.

“Most companies are hiring talent based on soft skills like attitude and hard work, with the hope that they can train them to be up to par on things like tech skills and industry knowledge,” said Davis Bell, VP of corporate markets. “To do that, managers have to make sure their organizational training is on point.”

This survey was commissioned by Instructure and conducted by SurveyMonkey in December 2014. It polled more than 750 managers at US companies.