The Daily Lobo spoke with eight local businesses to find out what employers are looking for in prospective employees, and the results suggest that while a college degree matters more than any other qualification, a student’s GPA doesn’t necessarily guarantee them a job.
David Crum, managing partner at New Mexico Legal Group law firm, said his firm focuses on a candidate’s attitude and how they interact with clients.
“(GPA) probably the least important thing to us,” he said. “The most important thing for us is the person’s personality and communication skills,” he said.
Many employers said while a degree counts, it’s not so much a student’s major is that matters.
Both Crum and Bill Anderson, general manager of KRQE and KASA, said a degree demonstrates applicants are able to complete a difficult task.
“The degree itself I’m not impressed with, but getting the degree is an indication of ‘stick-to-it-iveness’ (and) of someone who wants to learn,” Anderson said.
Mona Ghattus, owner of Duran Central Pharmacy, and Kathi Schroeder, editor at New Mexico Business Weekly, said they both value initiative and other qualities that don’t come in a degree.
“(We look for) people who have an understanding of work ethic, (the idea) that they need to be where they are supposed to be when they say they’re going to be there,” Schroeder said.
Employers also said they look for real-world experience and internships.
“There’s a lot of multitasking in retail pharmacy, which is not something that you learn in school, so experience can be very helpful to get you organized and build your confidence and leadership,” Ghattus said.
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