Graduate Confident or Arrogance in China?

By Frank Mulligan, Talent Software

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

British research indicates that more than 75% of young people coming to the workplace have a higher estimation of their abilities in comparison to what they can actually offer. It goes on to say that they will find themselves in for a rude shock. Were this study done here in China I doubt the results would be that much different.

The study give a few suggestions for graduates but after many years of interviewing graduates I have tended to emphasise these issues. This is what I tell graduates at interview.

* Graduates need a better understanding of how a business really works. That can only be achieved by taking summer jobs and internships. Even if their parents can afford for them not to work it is still a good idea. Employers are more confident of people who have actually gotten their hands dirty a little. Mostly I give this advice too late but maybe they will pass this on to others.

* I also tell them that they need to throw their textbooks away and find out what is really true in an office or factory environment, and what is not. (You can imagine the reaction at this stage. Fish in a fishbowl.)

* I suggest a degree of humility in the workplace, and a greater deference to more senior staff. Older staff know so much more and they will share this knowledge with younger staff. But only if they are willing to accept that they are not the experts in everything. Many graduates have a habit of saying ’I know, I know’. This needs to stop because they don’t know. Unfortunately, when I tell them this they tend to repeat the ’I know, I know’ line.

* It comes as a big surprise to graduates when I tell them that employers don’t need thier technical skills. They need their ability to get a job done, on time and inside the budget. This is not the simple application of their technical knowledge but a lateral thinking process of considering all options, and choosing the best one. It requires taking risks, making mistakes and learning from these mistakes.

* One thing I have noticed with graduates is that their presentation and reporting skills are weak. It seems they are not taught in college. I tell them to start working on them now, and that they will get them to the next level, not their degree. Everyone has a degree.

Now all you have to do is find the ones who, over the past 7 years, were actually willing to take my advice.

Good luck. You may need it.

Comments to: frank.mulligan@recruit-china.com