高管给毕业生们的忠告：做好准备！

    各位应届毕业生和2012级新生们注意了：全球战略集团（Global Strategy Group）代表跨国公司伍兹贝格（Woods Bagot）建筑事务所进行的一份调查显示，约500位资深经理人和高管们认为，你们并没有真正做好进入职场的准备。

    其中，65%的公司高层认为，到他们公司求职的应届毕业生们只是“略微”做了些准备；其中40%的高管认为，毕业生们“根本没有做好准备”。不仅如此，即便是已经获得聘用的应届毕业生们，晋升的空间也并不大。约半数（47%）高管认为，应届毕业生中具备必要技能、可以从初级工作岗位获得升职的人数比例不到四分之一（21%）。

    那么，到底哪些是必要技能呢？最炙手可热的无疑是解决问题的能力（49%的受访者将其排在首位）、协作能力（43%）和批判性思维能力（36%）。另外，还包括清晰、有说服力的书面表达能力（31%）。科技与社交媒体技能排在末位，仅有5%的资深经理人看中这一技能。然而，据调查显示，应届毕业生普遍极其缺乏上述技能，只有一项除外——精通高新科技产品的使用——但它却是受重视程度最低的一项。

    伍兹贝格建筑事务所负责人杰弗里•福尔摩斯注意到一个有趣的错位现象：“虽然越来越多的人认为社交媒体提高了人们的沟通与协作能力，但实际情况却并非如此。”原因何在？福尔摩斯表示而是说：“习惯使用社交媒体就像是‘展示与告知’，这只是一种单向的交流，很少重视吸收海量信息，并将这些信息转换为有用的知识。”

    他补充说：“企业需要的是能够整合各种信息，并将其用于解决商业问题的人才。就连我们公司也存在这个问题。如果新晋员工缺乏这项技能，那么他们的发展空间将十分有限。仅有技术技能还不够。”

    此次调查结果显示，入门级员工的招聘标准已经更新，并大幅提高。以前，刚毕业的学士学位持有者们在入职时已经理所当然地认为，诸如解决问题和批判性思维这类复杂的技能大部分都是在工作中学到的，可以在今后慢慢培养。

    福尔摩斯强调：“但现在，公司希望年轻人进入公司的时候就已经具备这些技能。公司发展的步伐加快，因此，对新员工的预期也越来越高。”

    如果说大部分大学毕业生缺乏未来发展的技能，那么，谁应为此负责？接受调查的高管普遍认为，这是由于学术界没能跟上商界日新月异的变化节奏：超过四分之三（77%）的受访者认为，应届毕业生没能做好进入职场的准备，教育工作者应该负全责。

    译者：阿龙/汪皓

    Note to recent college grads and the Class of 2012: You may not be as ready for the working world as you think you are. At least, that's the opinion of about 500 senior managers and C-suite executives in a study by Global Strategy Group, on behalf of worldwide architectural firm Woods Bagot.

    In all, a 65% majority of business leaders say young people applying for jobs at their companies right out of college are only "somewhat" prepared for success in business, with 40% of C-suite executives saying they are "not prepared at all." Not only that, but even those who get hired anyway may not rise very far. Almost half (47%) of C-suite executives believe that fewer than one-quarter (21%) of new grads have the skills they'll need to advance past entry-level jobs.

    And what skills might those be? The most sought-after are problem-solving (49% ranked it No. 1), collaboration (43%), and critical thinking (36%). Also in demand is the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively in writing (31%). Technology and social media skills came in at rock bottom on the list, valued highly by only a tiny 5% minority of senior managers. The kicker: According to the poll, new grads fall far short of the mark in every one of these areas -- except tech savvy, the least desired.

    Jeffrey Holmes, principal at Woods Bagot, notes "an interesting disconnect": "Despite a widespread impression that social media make people better at communicating and collaborating, that's apparently not the case." Why not? "Being adept at using social media is like 'show and tell.' It's mostly one-way communication, with less emphasis on taking a flood of information and turning it into useful knowledge," Holmes says.

    "Companies need people who can synthesize information and apply it to business problems. I see this even at our own firm," he adds. "There's less room for new hires who don't have that ability. Technical skill is not enough."

    The poll results reflect a relatively new, much loftier standard for entry-level hires. Not so long ago, newly minted bachelor's degree holders joined companies with the understanding that complex skills like problem-solving and critical thinking were largely to be learned on the job, and would develop over time.

    "Now, companies want young people who walk in the door with these abilities," Holmes notes. "The pace of business has accelerated to the point where expectations are much higher now."

    And whose fault is it if most college grads haven't got what it takes to get ahead? The executives surveyed overwhelmingly believe that academia has failed to keep up with the breakneck pace of change in the business world: More than three-quarters (77%) blame educators for new grads' lack of readiness.