7 things hiring managers value much more than your education 

 

We pay a lot ofmoney for a good education in hopes that it will lead to a good job in thefuture.

But as it turnsout, most hiring managers don't really care about where you went to school orthe degree you earned.

According toChristine Romans, CNN chief business correspondent and author of “Smart isthe New Rich: Money Guide for Millennial”, skills such as integrity and professionalismare among the qualities that employers value the most.

"These usedto be called 'soft skills,' but workplace experts and human resources managerssay there is nothing soft about them at all," Romans writes in her new book."The hard truth is that companies need talent that can collaborateand lead. These skills are critical, and you can't get a degree in them."

Romans cites asurvey conducted by staffing firm Express Employment Professionals, which has atotal of 700 franchises in the US, Canada, and South Africa. The surveyasked employers to rank eight top qualities of job applicants.

Here is theranking, from most to least important:

1. Attitude

2. Work ethic /integrity

3. Credible workhistory

4. Cultural fit

5. Specificskills

6. Job experience

7. References

8. Education

Romans quotes thestaffing firm's CEO, Bob Funk, saying that applicants shouldn't just rely ontheir resume when it comes to getting hired.

"Even thebest education is no substitute for a good attitude," Funk says. "Ofcourse education is important, but while employers can teach their employeesnew skills, it's much more difficult to teach things like integrity, workethic, or attitude." 

Image Source: http://png.clipart.me/graphics/thumbs/103/cartoon-of-a-woman-interviewing-for-a-job_103047164.jpg

VOCABULARY WORDS:

1. Degree (n.) ~ an academic titlegiven by a college or university to a student who has completed a course ofstudy  

2. Integrity (n.) ~ steadfastadherence to a strict moral code 

3. Professionalism (n.) ~ Thestandards, views, and behavior of one who engages in an activity  

4. Collaborate (v.) ~ to work together 

5. Franchise (n.) ~ authorizationgranted to someone to sell or distribute a company’s product or services in acertain area 

QUESTIONS FOR CONVERSATION:

1. Why is attitude important? Work ethic? Credible work history? Culturalfit? Job experience? References? 

2. What skills are necessary in your job?  

3. Do you agree that education is the least importantamong the qualities of job applicants? Why?