The survey of over 1,000 UK university students was devised by the Centre of Applied Positive Psychology (Capp) and tested for employability skills. It showed that while graduates have many core strengths, they aren't always willing to take risks and can struggle to recover from setbacks.
Out of the 60 strengths tested for by the survey, students' top five skills were: taking pride in their work, problem solving, being true to themselves, building relationships and having a sense of humour. They were weakest in: resilience, time optimisation, showing courage at overcoming their fears, taking risks, and making themselves the centre of attention.
Commenting on the findings, Stephen Isherwood, head of graduate recruitment at Ernst & Young said: "A good degree from a respected university no longer guarantees students' a job. We interview over 3,000 bright graduates every year, but only about 25% have the all-round skill set that we recruit for.
"Relationship development and problem solving are key attributes that we look for in our trainees. But the candidates who end up with job offers also demonstrate determination and resilience, and are able to work hard and thrive in difficult situations. We need to know that they are going to be able to cope if they are sent half way across the world to work on a client project."
Alex Linley, director at Capp said: "Students need to stay focussed on what they are good at and develop their experience around these core areas, rather than trying to cover all bases. This in turn will help to build confidence in their abilities and improve their levels of resilience."
Isherwood added: "You don't need to have thrown yourself out of a plane to demonstrate to an employer that you have a sense of adventure or are resilient. Think about examples from your work experience placements or even your part time job. It could even be an occasion where you dealt with a difficult customer in a busy restaurant, whilst working as a waiter."
According to the survey, 83% of respondents were optimistic about achieving their career aspirations.
Ernst & Young is recruiting over 800 graduate trainees, 60 school leavers, and also offers 700 undergraduate work experience and internship placements. The professional services firm receives around 18,000 every year, but says that there are still places on offer for the right candidates.
