Employers Regard Soft Skills As More Important Than Educational Qualifications
Indeed Research
New research conducted by Indeed has found that 67% of employers regard 'soft skills' as more important than educational qualifications, such as A-levels and having a degree, in terms of the future of work.
Important Soft Skills
Important soft skills include communication and interpersonal skills, problem solving ability, critical thinking, adaptability, flexibility, emotional intelligence, and the ability to work within a team
Despite the importance of soft skills, however, the Indeed research found that 58% of employers still look at educational attainment when screening applicants, whilst 53% regarded qualifications as important in terms of higher level roles beyond entry level.
Formal Qualifications Still Important, But Becoming Less So
Indeed also found that just 15% of respondents felt that their A-level grades had had an impact in terms of whether they were offered a job, and less than 1% of job adverts placed with Indeed specified any minimum requirements in terms of A-levels.
Furthermore, 29% of respondents had never been required to provide details of their formal qualifications (i.e. in terms of results / grades, etc) when applying for jobs, just 42% who have taken A-levels believe that the skills acquired through studying were important for their job (with just 12% having jobs related to their A-level subjects), and just 9% were of the view that higher A-level grades would have improved their career prospects and earnings potential.
LinkedIn Research
Moreover, separate research conducted by LinkedIn found that:-
- The number of job adverts requiring a degree fell by 14.2% between 2021 and 2024
- 90% of employers believe that soft skills "are more important than ever". This is consistent with earlier research conducted by LinkedIn, which found that "92% of talent professionals believe that soft skills are just as important, if not more important, than hard skills".
Comment
Commenting upon the findings, UK head of talent intelligence at Indeed, Danny Stacy, stated: "Our research shows that while top grades can lead to greater job satisfaction, educational achievements are not the only path to a fulfilling career. Less than 1% of Indeed job postings require A-levels or equivalent qualifications, and nearly a third of UK workers have never been asked to provide their results when applying for jobs. For those who don’t achieve the grades they hoped for, this won’t hinder their career prospects".
In relation to soft skills, Stacy added: "Students should remember that their studies have equipped them with valuable skills like problem-solving and time management. Employers increasingly prioritise soft skills and attitude".
Increase In Active Job Adverts
Labour Market Tracker
According to the latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) / Lightcast Labour Market Tracker, the number of active job adverts increased by 2.5% to 1,766,963 in July 2024, compared with the previous month, a figure that remains well above the pre-COVID-19 pandemic level.
The increase in active job adverts occurred, despite the usual seasonal fall in new job adverts at this time of year, due to the summer holidays. The number of new job adverts fell by 3.2% compared with the previous month, to 748,211 in July 2024.
Comment
Commenting upon the findings, the chief executive of the REC, Neil Carberry, stated: "Vacancies remain high by historical standards, despite the steady cooling of hiring in the past year. This resilience reflects shortages in skill and labour in some sectors, and a growing optimism from firms about the end of the year, with economic growth up, the start of interest rate cuts and inflation considerably lower than a year ago".
Carberry added: "The government is right to make economic growth its focus. Only growth can turn employers’ sentiment to hire and invest, into action. That means creating the right conditions for a wide range of ways of working – matching the needs of both workers and the economy. The government’s plans to ‘Make Work Pay’ mustn’t inadvertently jeopardise access to temporary work by spooking employers. Uncertainty about what new employment rules might mean - or concern about their impact – needs to be answered by designing the rules with business".
