30, January 2025
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Soft Skills for Employability and Career success in Management Graduates to meet Industry Expectations
Author(s): Dr. Eirene Leela Rout
Authors Affiliations: Professor, Dean School of Business, ASBM University, Bhubaneswar
     |     Paper ID:Abstract
Keywords
References
In today's fast-paced and dynamic job market, employers report significant gaps in essential soft skills among graduating students during the hiring process. This study tries to identify critical soft skills missing from recent management graduates. Research findings have emphasized the essential soft skills preferred by hiring managers are communication skill, teamwork and collaboration, leadership, cognitive skills like problem-solving and critical skills. Studies have supported that these skills are predictors of employability. Secondly, attempt has been made to explore how personal attributes like resilience, adaptability, social intelligence, and emotional intelligence impact workplace effectiveness and employability. Studies have clearly shown a significant relationship between personal attributes (resilience, adaptability, flexibility, social intelligence and emotional intelligence) and employability. Finally, these key soft skills enhance employability, career advancement, and job performance. Personal attributes such as resilience and adaptability are critical psychological career resources that enhance employability across various sectors. Success in workplace depends on factors like cognitive, affective and behavioural knowledge and skills. Technical skills and academic qualifications are essential for securing a job, it is the mastery of soft skills that give students an edge in competition and often determines long-term career success. This review highlights the significance of prioritization of certain soft skills as guiding factors to educators, employers, and policymakers.
Key words: Soft skill, Employability, Personal attributes, Resilience, Adaptability, Social Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence
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