In recent years, what employers look for from graduates is changing, along with what graduates want from employers, as they start their careers. A critical element to any talent strategy includes attracting and retaining the best graduates for the organisation, so investment in this key cohort is critical to the success of organisations across all sectors of the economy.  A survey by Grad Ireland in 2025 showed employers are struggling to find the right talent, so understanding what Gen Z employees want and expect needs to be a clear starting point for organisations seeking to attract future potential leaders to join them.

Key findings from recent research, as well as an Ibec pulse survey among our members and among recent graduates who took part in our accredited graduate development programme, are outlined below.

Trends Among Today’s Graduates

1. Digital Fluency

Today’s graduates are part of the first generation to grow up with digital technology as a foundational part of their lives. Gen Z employees now make up 27% of the workforce in 2025, so building on their digital literacy is something they want to bring to the organisations they work in.

2. Preference for Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

Unlike previous generations, today’s graduates place a high value on flexibility. They value remote working options, hybrid roles and flexible working patterns and these are increasingly seen as non-negotiable factors when looking at job opportunities. 

3. Greater Focus on Purpose and Values

Graduates today are more likely to seek employers whose values align with their own. Issues such as climate change, social justice, diversity, and ethical business practices are top of mind. Many graduates are motivated not only by salary and career prospects, but also by the desire to make a positive impact through their work and to continue learning and growing in their roles. Ibec’s research showed that 15% highlighted Land D opportunities as the most important factor for their job choice with a further 15% identifying meaningful work as their key driver.

4. Career progression

Opportunities for advancement and skill development are crucial . When graduates were asked what they valued most from employers, nearly half said that career progression was their top priority, with 22% citing a competitive salary as number one.  Therefore, the importance of career progression opportunities cannot be overstated in today’s world of work, where the talent of tomorrow is attracted and retained by employers who understand what is valued and appreciated by this key cohort of workers.

What Employers Want from Graduates

In parallel to these graduate trends, employers have also adapted their recruitment strategies and criteria to meet the demands of a changing economy. While technical skills and academic qualifications remain important, employers are increasingly prioritising a broader range of competencies. Our research showed the top things that employers look for from graduates in 2025 include:  25% - Openness to learning, 22% - Relevant skills & competencies, 20% - Cultural fit & values alignment, 10% - Education qualifications. The value of attracting a graduate who has a learning mindset and is keen to grow is one that stands out for employers and builds on the philosophy of hiring for attitude and training for talent.

1. Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence

Communication, adaptability, teamwork, and emotional intelligence are consistently ranked among the most desired attributes in new hires. Skills such as communication, teamwork, creativity and time-management are key to success in the workplace. 17% of those surveyed called out soft skills (communication, adaptability, team working), as being the top priority when assessing the potential fit of a graduate.

2. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities

As automation takes over routine tasks, the value of human judgment, creativity, and problem-solving has increased. Employers want graduates who can analyse information, identify patterns, and propose innovative solutions to real-world challenges, where agility and strategic thinking are key to success.

3. Adaptability and Continuous Learning

The ability to learn quickly and adapt to new tools, systems, and processes is critical. Lifelong learning has become a necessity in a world where job roles and required skill sets can change within a few years. As outlined above, over a quarter of employers in our survey identified openness to learning as the number one attribute among the graduates they recruit. Technical,  job related and interpersonal skills can be developed once this core trait is present from the outset.

4. Work Experience and Internships

Practical experience, whether through internships, volunteer work, or part-time jobs, significantly boosts a graduate’s employability. Employers appreciate graduates who have shown initiative, worked in roles while they undertook their studies, have demonstrated a positive attitude, and can apply academic knowledge in real-world settings.

5. Cultural Fit and Diversity Awareness

Employers are increasingly conscious of workplace culture and are actively seeking graduates who can contribute positively to the team and organisation. Graduates who are capable of working well with others, are open to learning and who are culturally competent, respectful of diverse perspectives, and capable of working in global teams, are more likely to stand out.

What Grads are concerned about :

Our research highlighted that 26% of graduates were concerned about applying academic knowledge to real-world tasks, with 17% being worried about adapting to workplace culture and 12% outlining lack of confidence as a primary concern. Although graduates may appear confident, the reality indicates that many need support and guidance when adapting into the world of work, to ensure they build on their strengths and have help learning how to apply their learning in a new culture. 10% outlined a lack of mentorship/support as being a block to their sense of belonging in a new organisation, so the role of the mentor and line manager are key to ensuring these concerns are addressed early when graduates join an organisation.

Graduates stated they need managers to support them through greater communication, clarity on expectations, regular feedback and really listening to where they are and what they need. The skills they identified as being the key ones to grow in their roles included technical skills 48%, leadership 45%, communications 30% and decision making 25%. As they begin their career journeys, they want to learn more about these key areas, developing their skills and knowledge  and leadership in their chosen fields. In order to do this, they need managers who understand this.

Interestingly, 65% of employers also felt that managers need further training to support Gen Z employees in achieving their potential at work.

What are the key skills gaps from an employers perspective :

In looking at both perspectives, similarities are clear. Almost a third of employers surveyed identified work ready skills as one of the key gaps when graduates join their organisations.  Not surprisingly, employers also recognise the need to help graduates adjust and adapt to the work of work. These skills include working with others, collaboration and the ability to relate to different personality types at work, together with meeting deadlines, and personal leadership. 20% of employers felt that communication skills alone was one of the greatest gaps, which has been compounded by Covid and the years where graduates communicated on line to a great degree. Building the skills to pick up the phone or drop in to someone face to face are core areas of focus for many employers when new graduates join an organisation. A further third of employers outlined resilience as a key gap, with the need for support and mentoring to build this area as well as the personal confidence to deal with a range of situations as they arise. 

Conclusion

Graduates today bring unique strengths to organisations, including digital skills, values-driven decision-making and a sense of purpose to their roles. Employers, in turn, are looking for adaptable, emotionally intelligent, and skilled individuals who are open to learning and can grow in diverse, hybrid, and high-performance environments.

Success in today’s job market depends on alignment between what graduates offer and what employers need. When both sides understand and adapt to each other’s expectations, this paves the way towards a strong and successful fit with the right organisation for both graduates and employers.