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# Soft skills and graduate employability: Insights and research model

Rafah Akoum

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Rafah Akoum. Soft skills and graduate employability: Insights and research model. Communications of International Proceedings, 2023, Innovations in Education - Strategies, Collaborations, and Sustainability, 2023 (10), 10.5171/2023.4227523. halshs-04804303

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Submitted on 26 Nov 2024

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# Soft skills and graduate employability: Insights and research model

## Akoum Rafah

Ph.D. in Business Administration

Researcher at CYAGORA (EA7392)

Assistant Professor, ILEPS – CY Cergy Paris Université

13, Boulevard de l'Hautil, 95000 Cergy

r.akoum@ileps.fr

rafah.akoum@cyu.fr
**Abstract**

The main objective of this study is to investigate the importance of soft skills and its impact on graduate employability from the student's perceptions.

This study underlines the multiple conceptualization of soft skills and graduate employability.
A research model that can enhance graduate employability is also proposed. It aims to improve
student's awareness about the appropriate skills wanted in the labor market in today's
employment environment.

**Keywords**

Soft skills; graduate employability, student's perception

**1. Introduction**

Currently, organizations face a globalized, digitalized, and multicultural world, which is uncertain, intensely competitive, and evolving at a fast pace (Magano et al., 2020; Majid et al., 2012). Therefore, technical skills are no longer enough for workers to compete in this highly competitive global work environment (Dean & East, 2019). Hence, all organizations are calling for soft skills since these skills would enhance their competitiveness and growth (Fadhil et al., 2021). However, many graduates are not ready for today's workplace due to their lack of communication skills, teamwork skills, and ability to handle projects independently (Fadhil et al., 2021).

According to Oberpeul (2020), many graduate students are more focused on acquiring
academic abilities in their field of study; therefore, they overlook the relevance of soft skills.
However, most employers are likely to hire, retain and promote persons, who are dependable,
resourceful, ethical, having effective communication, self-directed, willing to work and learn,
and having a positive attitude (Wats & Wats, 2009). They feel professional and technical
skills alone cannot help achieve organizational goals and objectives (Majid et al., 2012).
Therefore, there has been a noticeable shift of concern from hard skills, which are discipline-
specific and technically oriented to a greater recognition of the importance of soft skills, also
known as interpersonal skills, or emotional intelligence (Creasy & Anantatmula, 2013).
In this context, the purpose of this paper is to investigate soft skills and its impact on graduate
employability from a student's perspective.

**2. Theoretical approach**

Soft skills

Basically, soft skills refer to personalities, attributes, qualities and personal behavior of
individuals (Majid et al., 2012). Soft skills include “*communication skills, interpersonal skills, time management, teamwork and cooperation, as well as the ability to motivate subordinates, conflict management and leadership*” (Barth & Géniaux, 2010) that are "crucial
for professional engagement" yet not easily acquired through conventional learning methods
(Theurelle-Stein & Barth, 2017). This sets them apart from technical skills, which can be
developed through self-learning, formal education, and training (Yan, Yinghong, Lui,
Whiteside, & Tsey, 2018). These technical skills are particularly tailored to specific
industries, tasks, or job roles, in contrast to the more broadly applicable nature of soft skills
(Tsey, et al., 2018). Soft skills are acquired mostly through social interactions, exposure and
adaptability (Ghosh, 2012).

According to Ghosh (2012), the process of soft skill development is tremendously complex, involving the conversion of inner, reflective abilities into actionable behaviors relevant to the job market or workplace. For example, possessing an inborn leadership quality remains introversive or dormant unless that quality is applied in a real-world situation. Therefore, mere learning of a soft skill is not enough; it has to be translated into practice.
Initially reserved for managers (Mauléon et al., 2014) and those holding leadership positions within their respective organizations (Rzaigui & Villaverde Naveira, 2019; Theurelle-Stein & Barth, 2017), today, the utility of soft skills extends to include all members of the organization, regardless of their hierarchical position (Rzaigui & Villaverde Naveira, 2019).

These skills equip employees with the emotional intelligence necessary for excelling in their roles, offering elements such as self-awareness, self-management, self-motivation, empathy, and social skill (Wheeler, 2016; Whetten & Cameroun, 2014). When combined with technical expertise, soft skills empower employees to progress, secure promotions, and cultivate flourishing and satisfying careers (Wheeler, 2016).

The consequence of soft skills is also acknowledged by organizations (Theurelle-Stein & Barth, 2016) as they contribute to enhancing team collaboration (Kiffin-Petersen, 2004), encouraging company effectiveness (Detert & Burris, 2016), and avoiding the risk of burnout (Cross, Rebelle, & Grant, 2016). In the context of highly connected environments, soft skills assume a foundational role in coordinating teams, facilitating decision-making, and aiding analysis and problem-solving (OECD, 2018).

The definition we put forward in this paper is drawn from authors like Hurrell (2016) and Succi & Canovi (2020). According to these definitions, "*Soft skills are a dynamic combination of cognitive and meta-cognitive skills, interpersonal, intellectual and practical skills, transferable across economic sectors and industries*".

Regarding the empirical study, various publications suggested that soft skills include *communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical and innovative thinking, creativity, self-confidence, ethical understanding, capacity of lifelong learning, the ability to cope with uncertainty, as well as the willingness to accept responsibility* (Succi & Canovi, 2020).

The world Economic Forum report (October, 2020) revealed the top 15 skills that employers perceive as rising in prominence in the lead up to 2025. It includes skills like analytical thinking, innovation, active learning, complex problem solving, critical thinking and analysis, creativity, originality and initiative, Leadership and social influence, technology use, Technology design and programming, resilience, stress tolerance flexibility and emotional intelligence...

In France, a report published in May 2022 by "France Stratégie" outlines seven recommendations aimed at fostering the development of soft skills at individual, collective, and organizational levels. Soft skills are considered as the new key to engaging and preparing teams for innovation and leading the transformation of their organizations. (Du Roscoat et al., 2022).

In this study, soft skills are measured by indicators proposed in the publications of Succi (2018) and Succi & Canovi (2020). It includes personal, social and methodological skills.

## *Graduate employability*

It is evident, that employability is an extremely complex, and multifaceted, concept that is both difficult to articulate and define (Andrews & Higson, 2008). Actually, the concept of employability has gotten a lot of attention in the literature, but it still needs more research (Artess et al., 2017).

Commonly, employability is used to describe a set of achievements, skills, understandings and personal attributes that makes graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations (Römgens et al., 2020).

Behle (2020) termed the employability of an individual as “*the ability to find, keep and progress in graduate employment*”.

Recently, findings revealed that graduate employability is more than just the capability to find and retain a satisfying job. It extends to a broader context, signifying the ability to move
independently within the labor market in order to realize one's potential through sustainable employment (Al Asefer & Zainal Abidin, 2021).

Furthermore, it is important to note that employment is not the same as employability. Being employed means having a job and employability means having the qualities required to obtain a job and progress in a workplace (Asiri et al., 2017).

In this paper, employability means “*the ability to get a job, remain in that job, and excel in career development*” as proposed by Ping Yong & Ling (2023).

## Research model

The literature review suggest that the key element influencing the success or failure of graduate employability is soft skills (McGunagle & Zizka, 2020). Soft skills help people to adapt and behave in a positive way so that they can effectively meet the challenges of their working lives (Succi & Canovi, 2020). These soft skills include communication, teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, innovation, creativity, self-confidence, ethics, lifelong learning, the ability to deal with uncertainty, and the willingness to accept responsibility (Andrews & Higson, 2008; Kalfa & Taksa, 2015; Moore & Morton, 2017).

Vanitha & Jaganathan (2018) found that graduates with soft skills like effective communication, problem solving, time management, team spirit, self-confidence, positive attitude, handling criticism, and flexibility are more likely to succeed in the competitive corporate world compared to those who are deficient in soft skills.

Therefore, Finch et al. (2013) recommended that graduates should proactively cultivate soft skills, which employers highly value, in order to ensure a position in the job market.

Further research suggest that Soft skills (self-perception, motivation, perseverance, self-control, social skills, resilience and creativity) are increasingly considered as important, if not more important, than technical skills in explaining access to employment (Schoon & Gutman, 2013).

In contrast, the absence of soft skills can be considered as a barrier to entering the labor market (Deming, 2017).

Our research model conceptualizes the relation between soft skills (independent variable) and graduate employability (dependent variable).
Personal

1. Being committed to work

2. Being Professionally Ethical

3. Being tolerant to stress

4. Creativity/innovation skills

5. Learning skills

6. Life Balance Skills

7. Self-Awareness Skills

Social

8. Communication skills

9. Conflict Management &
Negotiation Skills

11. Contact Network Skills

12. Culture Adaptability skills

13. Leadership skills

14. Team work Skills

Methodological

15. Adaptability to change skills

16. Analysis Skills

17. Continuous Improvement Skills

18. Customer/User Orientation Skills

19. Decision Making Skills

20. Management Skills

Conclusion

The purpose of this paper is to clarify ambiguity about soft skills and graduate employability and to propose a research model that establishes the impact of soft skills on graduate employability from students' perspective.

Soft skills appear to be a significant predictor of employability in most circumstances.

As a result, in order to find a job and to stay employable, it is necessary to combine hard and soft skills.
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