Generation Success survey: what chief executives look for in young job seekers

AHEAD of the Generation Success summit with the Prime Minister, the nation’s top chief executives were asked the key attributes they look for.

Attributes chief executives look for in young job candidates ... A young female engineer

GETTING young workers to buy into a company’s values is seen as more important than having the right skills.

A survey of some of the nation’s top chief executives found a willingness to learn and a youth “X factor” were the key attributes companies look for in young job candidates.

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The businesses expect and prefer to teach young staff the skills required and are happy to reap the benefits over the years to come.

But the chief executives said there was often a disconnect between the businesses expectations and that of generation Y workers.

“Basics like reliability and flexibility can be an issue across white-collar and blue-collar young employees,” one boss told the survey.

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Unrealistic expectations about speedy career advancement and young people moving on quickly were also highlighted as negatives about gen Y staff.

Ahead of today’s Generation Success summit with Prime Minister Tony Abbott — a program that aims to shine a light on youth unemployment — the interviewed executives were upbeat that young workers face a bright further.

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This is despite the jobless rate among young people running at 20 per cent in some regional areas — the overall national rate for unemployment among 15-24 year olds is 15 per cent.

There were some concerns about whether schools and universities were adequately preparing kids for the world of work.

National Australia Bank business executive Joseph Healy said teachers and corporate mentors had a huge role to play in shaping the workforce of the future.

“Everybody has a talent and companies need to take time to identify what they are good at then encourage them to pursue that in their career. I’m really optimistic about Australia’s future. The only risk is we don’t realise the potential of young workers,” he said.

Mr Healy said he was confident that youth unemployment was not a long-term structural problem.

The Newgate Research Survey, Australian CEO Perspectives on Young People in the Workplace, was commissioned for the Generation Success youth employment initiative, established by Woolworths and News Corp Australia.

Youth unemployment not a long-term structural problem ...

News Corp Australia and Woolworths Limited have joined forces to launch Generation Success, an initiative to focus on youth employment. Generation Success brings together some of the country’s biggest employers including Leighton Holdings, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Toll Group, Spotless and Telstra. As part of the initiative, business and government leaders will come together on April 16 for a youth employment roundtable discussion.