A Managerial Perspective: Oral Communi cation Competency Is Most Important for Business Students in the Workplace Jeanne D. Maes

Abstract

Results of two studies show that oral communication is the most important competency for college graduates entering the workforce, and that the oral skills most important for entry level graduates are: following instructions, listening, conversing, and giving feedback. In the first study, 354 managers identified and ranked the competencies and characteristics they consider when hiring college graduates for entry-level positions. Findings reveal that the top three competencies are oral communications, problem-solving, and self-motivation. No significant differences were found among industries, number of employees, or management level of the responding manager.Based on the first study, Study 2 identified the most important skills associated with oral communication competency. From a list of 13 oral communication skills, managers rated each skill according to importance to entry-level jobs occupied by college graduates, and how frequently entry-level graduates use each skill. No significant differences were found in the ratings on importance of oral communication skills. However, graduates in companies with less than 200 employees reportedly handle customer complaints more frequently than graduates in larger companies, and graduates in companies with more than 200 employees use meeting skills more frequently than graduates in smaller companies.

Employers’ Perspectives on Workplace Communication Skills: The Meaning of Communication Skills

“…Keyton and colleagues' (2013) findings of verbal workplace communication behaviors mesh with the findings in the current study, particularly with the oral communication skills mentioned with less frequency, to close the gap between instruction and praxis. Previous studies (e.g., Coffelt et al, 2015;Maes et al, 1997) teach. In this way, the gap in awareness between employers and instructors is not as wide as some may believe.…”

Developing Listening and Oral Expression Skills: Pillars of Influential Oral Communication

“…While there are some exceptions in the literature (Reinsch & Shelby, 1997; Stevens, 2005), most studies conclude that listening is more important in the workplace than is oral expression (Brink & Costigan, 2015; Conrad & Newberry, 2011; Di Salvo & Larsen, 1987; Gray, 2010; Maes et al, 1997; Waner, 1995). In fact, the effects of listening on influencing have been shown to be significant after controlling for the effects of verbal expression (Ames et al, 2012).…”

“…Oral communication is defined as “linguistic communication that exchanges information vocally and aurally” (Brink & Costigan, 2015, p. 206). It is among the most important competencies for the workplace (Buckley, Peach, & Weitzel, 1989; Kane, 1993; Maes, Weldy, & Icenogle, 1997; Moody, Stewart, & Bolt-Lee, 2002).…”

Authentic Assessment Design in Accounting Courses: A Literature Review

“…Furthermore, studies have shown that employers and professional bodies look for novice accounting practitioners with strong communication skills (Bolt-Lee & Foster, 2003;Ulinski & O'callaghan, 2002). There are also studies which contend that oral presentation skills are critical as they allow students to exhibit greater level of cognitive thinking and development (Ulinski & O'callaghan, 2002;Weldy & Icenogle, 1997). Thus, the assessment of oral presentation is crucial for the development of work readiness in graduates (Cabellero & Walker, 2010).…”