Employers value soft skills 'more than grades or qualifications', jobs expert says

We chat to Indeed’s UK head of talent intelligence, Danny Stacy, on what employers are looking for.

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm Danny Stacey and I lead the Talent Intelligence team at Indeed.

00:04Now with A-Level and BTEC results now out, a lot of students are reflecting on what those grades

00:09mean for their future careers. Our new research at Indeed shows top grades don't guarantee top jobs

00:15as more than two-thirds of employers say they value soft skills over educational qualifications

00:20when hiring. Now while 58% of employers do consider A-Level or BTEC results during the hiring process,

00:27only 15% of people believe those results actually help them secure their job.

00:32In fact, nearly a third of employees have never even been asked to provide their results

00:37when applying for a position. I think it's worth noting that people with higher grades,

00:41those with A-stars and A's, report greater job satisfaction, that's around 75%. However,

00:48only 9% believe that better grades would have significantly improved their career prospects

00:53or earning potential. I think what stands out from the research is the emphasis on the

00:57practical skills that A-Levels and BTECs help develop like writing and problem solving,

01:03time management. These are skills that 42% of workers say are important to their jobs today

01:09and employers clearly value them. So as you reflect on your results, keep in mind that while

01:15grades are part of the equation, they are not the whole story. Employers are increasingly looking

01:20for skills and attitudes that go beyond academic performance. There's plenty of

01:25opportunities out there, regardless of your grades.