Nita Chhinzer|Anna María Russo
An exploration of employer perceptions of graduate student employability
University of Guelph|University of Toronto
purpose purpose paper explore employer perceptions graduate student employability study novel since existing research focused employability largely theoretic remains focused defining employability undergraduates largely fails determine employer perceptions factors increase decrease employability graduate students designmethodologyapproach using twophased approach authors analyzed 122 employer assessments graduate students canadian university completed workterm employer either 2014 2015 authors also collected individual data eg academic achievement work experience student files university phase 1 involved exploratory factor analysis derive factors influencing employer perceptions employability phase 2 expand factors identified phase 1 assessment 153 written comments using critical incident technique findings phase 1 results demonstrate professional maturity soft skills problem solving continuous learning academic achievement secure positive relationship employer perceptions graduate employability phase 2 results indicate employers consider generic skills time management working team attention detail general mental ability subjectspecific knowledge willingness work attitudes behaviors responsiveness feedback assessing employability graduate students research limitationsimplications collectively results phase 1 2 provide comprehensive awareness factors employers consider assessing employability graduate students researcher educational institution employer implications presented originalityvalue authors provide holistic empirically grounded understanding employer perceptions graduate student employability reviewing quantitative qualitative indicators employability employer perspective