Criteria for Business Graduates' Employment: Human Resource Managers' Perceptions

In this national study, conducted in cooperation with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the perceptions of human resource managers (HRMs) regarding criteria for the screening and selection of college and university business graduates for employment were identified and analyzed. The criteria included initial screening criteria, initial interview criteria, and knowledges and skills identified in the literature as possible criteria for screening business graduates. The résumé was perceived to be the most important criterion at the initial interview stage, and interviewee poise at the interview stage. HRMs rely most on communication skills to screen and evaluate applicants. Other highly important skills used as criteria include problem-solving skills and human relations skills.