WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR IN A JOB CANDIDATE

What do employers want? Your major, GPA, skill sets, and experience can all be factors in what an employer will consider when looking at you as a potential employee.

In fact, many employers require a GPA of 3.0 at a minimum. Some set the bar higher: Employers interested in engineering grads, for example, look for a GPA of 3.5 or better. And, GPA can be a “tie-breaker” if you and another candidate seem similarly qualified, with the higher GPA winning out.

Assuming you’ve got the required skills to do the job and the GPA to meet their requirements, employers will also look for the “soft” skills and attributes they value—the ability to work in a team, solve problems, and organize work. They also will look at your resume for evidence that you’ve got the “right stuff.”

So, what if you and another candidate appear equally qualified in terms of major, GPA, and required skills to do the job? Employers say the candidate who has a leadership position will likely win out.

For more information, go to http://www.naceweb.org/uploadedFiles/Pages/MyNACE/grab_and_go/students/job-outlook-2014-student-version.pdf