Bridging the Employability Gap: A Study of HR Managers' Expectations and Graduate Students' Perceptions of Employability in Ghana

ABSTRACT This study investigates the employability skills prioritised by human resources (HR) managers in Ghana and examines how these expectations align with graduates' perceptions of their own employability. Using purposive sampling, we interviewed seven (7) managers with expertise in graduate recruitment and sixty‐four (64) graduating students from two public universities and two private universities. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed both convergence and misalignment between employers' expectations and students' perceptions.Employers emphasised job‐ready competencies such as technological proficiency, basic written communication and teamwork; while regarding adaptability and a willingness to learn as essential attributes for employment. Students similarly valued technological proficiency, work ethics and teamwork, but placed greater emphasis on academic achievement and networks as pathways to employment. However, students framed communication in terms of knowledge of corporate communication channels rather than proficiency in written communication. A notable divergence also emerged regarding trainability, highlighting the need for greater curriculum attention to workplace‐related competencies. We recommend writing‐across‐the‐curriculum initiatives, work‐integrated learning and stronger industry‐higher education institution (HEI) collaboration to better align expectations. The findings reflect the perspectives of large employers and students in urban Ghana and contribute to ongoing debates on graduate employability and education‐to‐work transitions in emerging economies.