Most employers still prefer college grads - DOLE study

MANILA, Philippines - College graduates – not necessarily those from the country’s top schools – are still preferred by most employers, a study done by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed.

The study conducted among 6,500 companies showed that 80 percent of employers would only hire college graduates. Only 3.9 percent, however, preferred applicants with postgraduate degrees.

Only 3.9 percent of the employers would hire college undergraduates.

The study also showed that 93.49 percent of employers do not have preference for graduates of specific learning institutions. Only six percent of the respondents said they prefer applicants who graduate from top schools.

The study showed that more than half of the employers surveyed prefer applicants with one to two years work experience but 21.9 percent require three-year work experience.

Most employers prefer to advertise vacancies, with

20.6 percent preferring to do it online.

Employers said 18 percent of the applicants screened have poor English language proficiency. A smaller percentage of applicants also lack computer and writing skills.