The value of cross-cutting skills - hiring managers’ views

Employer-valued skills, which are not specific to a discipline but apply to all majors in higher education institutions, are often referred to as cross-cutting skills, soft skills, 21 st century skills, or essential learning outcomes. Although research has ranked these skills in order of importance based on employer surveys, it has not examined statistical differences between individual skills or groupings of skills. The current study took a nuanced approach to understanding the value of cross-cutting skills based on hiring managers’ responses to a survey about hiring practices for entry-level positions. Findings ascertained the primary importance of a degree, and that conceptual, human, and technical skills are equal in importance, contrary to established theory. The study also found no statistical differences among top-rated skills identified in previous research but established differences in groupings of core and specialized skills. Sector differences were identified as well as changes in valued skills post-COVID.