What do companies look for in graduates?

Fatima Tapya speaks to human resource managers, career counsellors and students

Conventional student thinking says that the GPA or Grade Point Average is the key to success after graduation. Recruiters from multinational companys (MNCs) think differently.

Most look for competence and interpersonal skills when screening candidates.

Petroleum giant BP looks for “high potential students who have contributed in different ways with sports or social activities”, according to Adel Al Bureimi of the company’s human resources department.

He says BP has an employee career development programme in which new employees receive training abroad. They then return to put their skills to use in the UAE.

“Students are attracted by money, not development,” says Al Bureimi, about fresh graduates seeking jobs.

He recommends they look at other benefits that will help them grow.

Extracurricular activities undervalued
Janine Eltal, Career Services Manager at the American University in Dubai, agrees with Al Bureimi.

She says, “[MNCs] are not particular about the actual degree … they look more at the background. They do testing and evaluating, not just an interview.”

According to Eltal, employers want graduates who can “think out of the box”.

“In addition to doing reasonably well academically, MNCs look for organisational, communication, leadership and analytical skills,” she says.

“It is important for them [students] to be involved on campus, for example with the student council or off campus with part-time jobs.”

She says students do have high expectations, but these are realistic.

“There are a lot of opportunities, but also a lot of competition,” she says.

Balance work and personal life

Pravin Law, a management consultant to MNCs in North Africa and the Middle East, agrees with Al Bureimi that many MNCs give training opportunities to deserving candidates.

He says, “Candidates’ aspirations are important. They should have the passion to win and go the extra mile. Multinational companies look at what motivates the candidate.”

According to Law, MNCs place great weightage on projects, summer jobs, internships and extracurricular activities.

He says the companies look for those who can “work under pressure, stretch themselves with a passion to win and balance their personal life alongside”.

An indication of these qualities is the way the candidate has balanced his education, extracurricular activities and gained work experience during his or her university days.

Internships are useful

Maysun Nimr, Manager of Career Advising and Placement Services at The American University of Sharjah (AUS), says the university’s emphasis on internships helps students in the long run, because they often get job offers from these companies.

Presentations, visiting companies, conferences and study tours all contribute towards a student’s personality.

Nimr says AUS students benefit from the cultural diversity that is seen on campus.

“By interacting with each other, our students learn about different cultures and the world in general,” she says.

Career Advising and Placement Services regularly hosts presentations and workshops on CV and cover letter writing, networking, inculcating job-seeking skills and preparing for interviews.

Sports and community service

Goretti Corish, Career Counsellor at the American College of Dubai, says MNCs search for potential employees who can multi-task.

Corish agrees that extracurricular activities are “terribly important”.

“An employer does not want a robot or a nerd,” she says, “They want an all-round person with other skills and achievements.”

She says community service is important to project the caring side of a student for people and the community at large.

She says she believes the sports element is important because it portrays individuals as “committed, competitive and highly motivated”.

Corish says, “Job experience is added value. Work experience does not adversely affect a student’s GPA; depending on their timing, they can work between classes, after classes or on weekends if they are given flexible timings.”

What students say

Rakshanda Amin, a senior studying business at the American College of Dubai, believes multinational companies (MNCs) look for “mature and responsible students who, in addition to having a good IQ, should also possess EQ or Emotional Quotient”.

She adds, “They should know the meaning of the work ethic, sincerity, honesty, dedication and should be time conscious.”

Amin says she thinks the quality most sought after by MNCs are culturally sensitive employees who “respect individual differences and respect individual boundaries”.

Moiz Ul-Haq, a senior at the American University of Sharjah, actively participates in extracurricular activities.

He has worked in the Indian Cultural Club previously and now works in the Student Council.

Ul-Haq says this gives him practical experience in organising, leading, planning and handling events.

“I enjoy it more than studies because it gives you the ability to apply what you have learned in the books,” he says.

“By doing this [extracurricular activities], you find out your abilities and your strengths and weaknesses.”

Fazal Mohammad, a senior doing his BCom (Marketing) at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, says MNCs look for “fresh thoughts and ideas, which are vital in the competitive market”.

He says, “They also look for fresh graduates to have knowledge of the current market. I feel lucky that I have a guaranteed job in a multi-national whereas others have to go through the interview process.”

Enhances confidence
Ekta Bathija is a recent graduate who has been recruited by a multinational company.

While studying, she worked as an intern for a local bank. She believes the internship enhanced her confidence by helping her recognise her strengths.

It also gave her an opportunity to work on her weaknesses. Yet, having no experience doesn’t mean that a graduate won’t be considered, she says.

“The corporate world realises that there are very limited opportunities for students to gain meaningful experience while studying,” she says.

“So graduates will also be considered by MNCs if they participate in extracurricular activities. It shows the person has diverse skills and talents that can be managed to contribute to the organisation.”

According to Ekta, companies are reengineering their systems and processes, and are genuinely interested in young minds that do not require any “unlearning” in order to learn new things.

Eva Prabhakar, a business senior at the American College of Dubai, says she thinks MNCs look for proactive graduates who take initiative.

So what is more important, the GPA or extracurricular activities? Eva says it depends on the situation.

“For some jobs such as accounting, one definitely needs to have a good academic understanding which is reflected in one’s GPA. However for jobs that require more people skills, a well-rounded personality would be an important asset which is reflected by participation in extracurricular activities.”