most students believe they are best prepared in the area of critical and analytical thinking when they graduate from college. in which area do employers find students well prepared?

Employers generally find graduating students relatively well prepared in teamwork and collaboration , more than in most other skill areas.

Quick Scoop

Surveys comparing student and employer perceptions show a consistent pattern:

• Students tend to think they are best prepared in critical and analytical thinking.
• Employers, however, more often rate new graduates as strongest in:
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Working with people from diverse backgrounds
  • Technology use/basic digital skills
  • Information processing and quantitative tasks

In contrast, employers are usually less satisfied with graduates’ preparation in written and oral communication, real‑world problem solving, and professionalism/work ethic, even though students often feel confident in those areas.

In short: students say “critical thinking,” but employers are more likely to say “teamwork/collaboration” when asked where graduates are truly well prepared.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.