The Attributes Employers Look for on New Grad Resumes—and How to Showcase Them

BETHLEHEM, PA—New college graduates entering the job market need to put key skills front and center on their resumes to attract the attention of recruiters, according to recent research conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

When asked what they are looking for on resumes, nearly 90% of recruiters responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2025 survey indicated they are seeking evidence of a new grad’s ability to solve problems, and more than 80% are seeking candidates who have strong teamwork skills. More than three-quarters also said they look for evidence of good communication skills. (See Figure 1.)

“Managers and recruiters considering job candidates are looking for evidence that the candidate can or will be able to do the job,” explains Shawn VanDerziel, NACE’s president and chief executive officer.   

“Through our research, employers are telling us new college grads need to demonstrate that they can solve problems, work in a team, and communicate effectively,” he says. “These are abilities that matter in every job—regardless of industry. These are skills that make a candidate career-ready.”

More than 70% of employers also cited initiative, a strong work ethic, and technical skills as high on their wish list.

For new college graduates, demonstrating prized skills is increasingly important, according to VanDerziel, because employers are moving away from focusing on GPA as an indicator of ability.

“We’re seeing a big shift toward skills-based hiring,” he says. Nearly two-thirds of employers taking part in NACE’s survey reported using skills-based hiring practices.

“It’s critical for students to showcase these skills on their resume so they can get to the next stage—the interview—where they will have to convince employers that they have what it takes,” he says.

Gaining—and then being able to showcase those skills—can be daunting. VanDerziel explains that campus career services, faculty, and other campus staff as well as employers can help students address and develop these skills and attributes through classroom work, campus programming, internships, and other work-related experiences.

“Many colleges and universities are moving to integrate career readiness campus-wide, incorporating skills development into the curriculum as well as co-curricular activities and experiences,” he says. “This is an important step toward helping students not only gain critical skills but also gain confidence in how to articulate them.”

At the same time, VanDerziel says, employers play an important role in helping students develop skills that matter in the workplace. “The internship—especially a paid internship—is one of the best ways a student can gain work-related experience and the skills employers say they need,” he notes. 

About the Job Outlook 2025 Survey: The Job Outlook survey is a forecast of hiring intentions of employers as they relate to new college graduates. Data for the Job Outlook 2025 survey were collected from August 5, 2024, through September 16, 2024. Of the 237 total respondents, 162 were NACE employer members, representing 19.2% of eligible member respondents. The Job Outlook 2025 survey was also distributed to nonmember companies, from which an additional 75 responses were received. Results of the Job Outlook 2025 survey, including downloadable slides, are available on NACEWeb.

About the National Association of Colleges and Employers: Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is the only professional association in the United States that connects more than 13,000 college career services professionals, more than 3,800 early career talent acquisition professionals, and more than 400 business solution providers that serve this community.

NACE is the premier source of market research on career readiness, the employment of recent college graduates, and the college-to-career transition. NACE forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks.

NACE offers its members unparalleled research, networking and professional development opportunities, guidance on standards and ethics, and advocacy on key issues. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media.