What Is “Effective Communication”? Exploring Alignment Between Job Ads and Qualitative Employer Expectations

Business communication scholars and educators frequently assert that employers expect job applicants to demonstrate “effective communication skills,” yet the term itself remains frustratingly vague. In this study, we attempt to clarify what is meant by “communication skills” by reviewing how communication is expressed and defined in job advertisements. We begin by compiling a list of 78 communication-related skills, then searching for those skills in a curated collection of 782 job announcements. Although this approach offers insight into how employers articulate communication expectations, the findings also underscore the need for greater specificity and transparency in how those expectations are conveyed, particularly because business communication educators rely on these expectations when designing curricula meant to prepare students for professional practice.