So what skills, qualities and knowledge are prospective employers looking for in an employee? Do graduates have the advantage? Or is workplace experience a more valuable quality than a degree?

The first 200 words of this essay...

In the increasingly globalised workplace of today, employers are expecting more and more from their employees. Graduates, recently qualified in the fields of business and finance, are competing against other candidates with, often, years of experience. So what skills, qualities and knowledge are prospective employers looking for in an employee? Do graduates have the advantage? Or is workplace experience a more valuable quality than a degree?

The learning process, with regard to business, can be divided into two areas: knowledge gained from scholarly learning; and knowledge or skills gained from working in a particular field. This was defined by Stephen Fox (1997) as development and education, although overlapping, one should not become a substitute for the other.

A recent job advertisement on S1 jobs.com stated:

"Overall a keen interest in recruitment and a client/candidate focussed individual.

We are looking for graduates from any degree discipline that are very ambitious and are driven by success. They must have strong communication skills and enjoy working in a fast paced environment. Whether you are a recent graduate with no relevant experience or a graduate with 12-18 months experience, we want to hear from you. Training will last between 3-6