Literature Review
Impact of graduate attributes on Employability
Gap between higher education and market requirements
The following rubrics will delineate the arguments of various researchers who have tried
to pinpoint the cause of graduate anxieties and the problems they face whilst looking for a suitable
job. Recent graduates are the necessary cogs in the process of achieving national competitiveness
in the global economy; however, graduate employability is a major concern worldwide. An in
depth perusal of existing literature on the aforesaid issue suggests that the major problem lies in
the mismatch between the skills imparted at the university level and those demanded by employers.
All authors included in this review make interesting contributions in assessing the overarching
themes of graduate employability and suggest important remedies for the problem such as the
rethinking of graduate programs and the incorporation of appropriate skill development workshops
at the higher education level.
In this regard, Tran based on his study in Vietnam suggested that the ill preparation of
university graduates for the job market can be attributed to outdated and irrelevant curriculums
(Tran 2015). More specifically he points out issues such as old teaching methods based on
delivering monologues with no participation from the class along with the nonexistence of career
advisors and better guidance systems in universities. When such problems are not addressed at the
grass roots level, the chance of graduates getting satisfactory jobs in a highly competitive job
market is slim. As a remedy, Tran suggests that the issue of graduate employability should be
governed by a comprehensive national policy formulated with the help of the inputs received from
all stakeholders including prospective employs, educationists, university teachers and
professionals along with the relevant policy makers (Tran 2015).
In the same vein, Gibbs et al, matched the perceptions of students from their final semesters
with the expectations of employers regarding the necessary skill set required for the workplace
(Gibbs, Steel and Kuiper 2011). After extensive research they concluded that lack of
communication between employers and students proved to be the major obstacle in the recruitment
process (Gibbs, Steel and Kuiper 2011). This argument is further supported by Stone, Lightbody
and Whait’s research on accounting graduates which highlighted the importance of listening skills
for both employers and prospective employees so that the communication gap between the two
could be significantly reduced (Stone, Lightbody and Whait 2013). Similar to Tran’s solution,
Gibbs et al and Stone, Lightbody and Whait prescribe stakeholder collaboration as a significant
factor for the enhancement of graduate employability rates (Stone, Lightbody and Whait 2013).
In addition, Finch et al’s research found another discrepancy on the part of potential
employers who tend to stress more on graduate skills as opposed to the degrees during the
recruitment process which leads to low graduate employability (Finch, et al. 2013). In a bid to
understand the factors contributing towards the employability of university graduates, they
discovered 17 which were then classified into five major composite categories. Their research
proved that soft-skills were valued most by reputed companies whereas academic reputation had
the lowest importance (Finch, et al. 2013). Similarly, Dafou also endeavored to understand the
importance of university degrees in the eyes of potential employers. Based on Greece, his study
suggested that apart from specific selection methods employed by various organizations to
evaluate candidates for employment, much of the judgment was based on information obtained
from different aspects of the candidates’ personality, educational and technical experience and
personal motivation (Dafou 2009).
On the other hand, studies undertaken by Cassidy (2006); and Dale-Jones, Hancock and
Willey (2013) highlight the importance of peer assessment as a necessary tool for equipping
graduates with the desired skills before they enter the job market. The former study showed that
graduates had an overall positive perception about peer assessments although they were a little
apprehensive about their ability to rate peers and the responsibility attached with it (Cassidy 2006).
The later study was based on an Australian university which endorsed the use of both selfassessments and peer assessments as they greatly improved the written communication skills of
graduates, instilling them with the ability to “apply assessment standards to grammatical, structural
and presentation components of written communication” (Dale-Jones, Hancock and Willey 2013).
In this regard, a study by Sin and McGuigan on the similar subject advocated that
conventional assessment approaches for judging complex graduate attributes were inadequate.
Hence, they designed a new framework to ensure that the graduates were equipped with the
required skill sets, attributes and knowledge to build successful carriers (Sin and McGuigan 2013).
By the same token, Dacre Pool and Sewell (2007) and Jackson (2014) first underlined the factors
which have a stake in enhancing employability skills and then developed a comprehensible model
of employability to be used as a tool for students willing to polish their graduate skills. Jackson
also identified specific ways for the curricula and pedagogy to incorporate the designed framework
and so that the most sought after skills are taught in universities and colleges from a very
rudimentary level thereby increasing graduate employability (Jackson 2014).
Furthermore, Hermens and Clarke explored the role of computer based business
simulations in universities as the necessary tools for the development of soft skills like teamwork,
creativity, time management and communication skills just to quote a few, which are highly sought
after (Hermens and Clarke 2009). The use of such innovative tools according to Hermens and
Clarke will not only enhance the overall educational experience along with the quality of
management training; but will also provide students with the opportunity to interact with other
peers so that learning can be experienced in greater depth (Hermens and Clarke 2009). Sixsmith
and Litchfield also supported this hypothesis by stating that the use of online devices for teaching
and learning purposes improves the professional attributes of graduates and in turn their
employability skills. Project work and team work are two essential elements of the workplace
which can only be garnered with the help of hands on experience provided by innovative tools
such as computer based business simulations (Sixsmith and Litchfield 2010).
Specifically tailored to the needs of business, management and marketing graduates,
studies by Mihail and Kloutsiniotis (2014); Wilton (2011) and Hopkins et al (2011) focused upon
the factors which influenced their employability along with the set of skills required for this
purpose. Accordingly, Mihail and Kloutsiniotis used the MBA program offered by the top
universities in Greece to examine its contribution to graduate skills, employability and career
advancement globally (Mihail and Kloutsiniotis 2014). They found that a gap existed between
these programs and the needs of the prospective employers in the sense that although the programs
did equip students with the required managerial skills however, it lacked a few other basic skills
needed for employment in reputable universities (Mihail and Kloutsiniotis 2014). Wilton tackled
a very important question “whether the experience of recent business management graduates gives
credence to the policy emphasis on employability” (Wilton 2011) He found that no matter how
skilled business graduates got during their time at the university, they always faced a labor market
disadvantage in their quest for a job (Wilton 2011).
Lastly, Hopkins et al, analyzed the perceptions of marketing students, faculty members and
employers with regard to the skills and characteristics involved in the recruitment process
(Hopkins, Raymond and Carlson 2011). They emphasized the role of educators on imparting the
necessary skills by encouraging projects and assignments which would push students to be more
open minded, creative and bold in the search for relevant opportunities (Hopkins, Raymond and
Carlson 2011). They have advised marketing graduates to not only look for internships in their
own relevant areas but to also not hesitate in filling positions which are not their current career
choice (Hopkins, Raymond and Carlson 2011).
The aforementioned review is based on a comprehensive analysis of the relevant literature
to understand the impact of graduate attributes on employability and to identify the gap between
higher education and market requirements with appropriate remedies. All the studies quoted above
seem to endorse the fact there is a huge gap between the curriculums taught in universities and the
skills needed at the workplace for promising future careers. The studies also suggested that
regardless of the subject or field of study, a few characteristic skills are required for every job in
the world like problem solving, creativity, interpersonal skills, leadership skills adaptability etc.
which can be inculcated in graduates in a number of ways such as the use of business simulations
or by revamping the curriculum altogether. During the course of an extensive literature review it
was also found that no previous study has been conducted in the context of Pakistan to gauge the
level of incompatibility between the courses taught at the university level and their application in
the highly competitive job market. Hence, this study will rectify this gap by undertaking an
indigenous study on the graduates of the National University of Science and Technology (NUST)
to understand the gap in terms of the Pakistani context.
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