Business leaders are looking for know-how and skills with their new employees rather than a degree from a prestigious school, a new Gallup poll has found.
A candidate’s knowledge and skills “far outweigh” which university they attended or even what their major was, according to the Gallup poll, which was done in partnership with the Lumina Foundation.
In a news release about the poll, Lumina Foundation president and CEO Jamie P. Merisotis said, “College degrees and other credentials are more important than ever, but times have changed, and the vast majority of employers in America put acquired skills far ahead of alma mater or major when it comes to hiring.”
The poll findings are based on interviews with 623 United States business leaders conducted in November and December of 2013. The survey also includes information from interviews with 1,012 U.S. adult citizens.
In the news release, the Lumina Foundation presents five key findings:
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The amount of knowledge a job candidate has is very important to the hiring decision, according to 84% of business leader respondents. On the other hand, only 9% said where a candidate attended school is an important factor in making the hiring decision. Also, only 28% said a person’s major is very important.
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There is a significant gap between what higher education officials think of themselves and what business leaders think of how they educate students. A recent Gallup poll found 96% of higher education officials said they are extremely or somewhat confident in how they prepare students. But this survey found only 11% of business leaders strongly agree that college students have the skills and competencies their business needs.
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Asked for their opinion on attaining a college degree, 74% of Americans agreed that a college degree is important to attaining a higher quality of life – and 90% at least somewhat agreed with that statement. Clearly, Americans still believe a postsecondary degree is the path to a better life.
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Among the business leaders surveyed, 41% said they are somewhat likely to hire a person who attained a degree online over a person who attained the same degree at a traditional school.
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When asked what knowledge and skills schools should develop in business students, the most often mentioned area was internships and on the job, practical experience (14%); English and writing skills (12%); basic life skills and common sense (9%).
