Employers’ Requirements for English-Majored Students: A Case Study from Vietnam
- Hoang Yen Phuong, Can Tho University, Campus 2, 3-2 Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, Vietnam, Corresponding author, Email: phyen@ctu.edu.vn
- Hieu Hong Hua , Can Tho University, Campus 2, 3-2 Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, Vietnam
Abstract
Graduate employability patterns seem to have changed worldwide while companies and organizations are shrinking their workforce under unstable and unpredictable economies. The decision to recruit a graduate of employers depends on their qualities and competencies, in addition to discipline-specific skills and knowledge. Therefore, graduates from English majors have to encounter harsh competition not only with their fellows but also with students from other majors. Within that context, this study explores what employers require for English-majored graduates. Using descriptive statistics, the authors designed a five-point Likert scale questionnaire based on the content analysis of 34 job positions for English-majored graduates available on three popular websites for Vietnamese job seekers from June 2018 to May 2019. Participants decided their level of meeting different requirements of employers that were listed as various items in the questionnaire. Results from the survey with 160 participants show that many graduates do not possess the employment attributes that employers are seeking. Consequently, measures should be taken from the university level to better enhance students’ employability in the future.
Keywords: Graduate employability, employability attributes, English majors
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