Hiring Employers Value Experience Over Education When Employing Graduates, According to New Research by WinkBall

LONDON, April 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

• Almost two thirds of hiring employers believe experience is the most important asset when recruiting  
• Over two thirds of employers believe people looking for work put too much emphasis on qualifications and not enough emphasis on experience  
• A third of employers believe soft skills such as initiative and motivation are more important than hard skills such as maths and English  
• Personality and confidence also topped the list of attributes on employers list

Hiring employers prefer experience over education when employing graduates, according to new research revealed today.  

New figures released today show that almost two thirds (69%) of hiring employers believe experience is the most important asset when recruiting with 72% of employers also admitting that too much emphasis is placed on qualifications and not enough on experience. 

The research, by video news reporter network winkball.com, also reveals that over a third of employers believe soft skills such as initiative and motivation are more important than hard skills such as maths and English. 

The results come at a time when many employers state that a degree just isn't enough to land a desirable job after university or college with the findings supporting this. Personality and confidence top the list of preferred attributes from employers across the UK. 

The research goes on to reveal that although over half of employers believe that hard skills such as qualifications and softer skills such as initiative and motivation are equally important, only 15% of employers believe hard skills are valuable on their own. 

Dr James Ohene-Djan, co founder of winkball.com and senior lecturer at Goldsmiths,  University of London, says: "Although we know education is important, we have found that there is nothing more valuable than gaining experience when striving for a successful career after university. Qualifications will always have their place but its important to think about the benefits that real life experience in your chosen field can give you, alongside your education. Employers are looking for initiative as well as good grades and want to see evidence of a real passion in the field. It is clear that gaining real life experience is needed to set you apart from the others." 

List of attributes employers are looking for when recruiting: 

1. Experience 
2. Personality
3. Confidence
4. Qualifications
5. Common Sense
6. Flexibility
7. Motivation
8. Track Record
9. Passion
10. Organisational skills

Notes To Editors 

winkball.com create reports that capture the heartbeat of cultural, professional and social events at the point of maximum relevance and experience.

WinkBall wants to initially build a base of 1000 reporters to be able to reach all over the UK before branching out internationally. WinkBall sees itself as a supplier of quality content to local TV and news sites rather than a rival, but believes their model will better help fund media professionals who wish to work within local communities as well as specialise in their specific areas of interest.

Contact: Jennifer Brogan, +44-0207-819-9451, jennifer@winkball.com