Business Students� Perceptions of Expected Skills and Traits for Their Professional Success

Abstract

Growing business literature reveals concerns about the quality and level of preparedness of business graduates entering the labor market. This study focused on the competencies, skills, and traits business students perceived as important for being a successful employee. Two hundred and sixty nine studentparticipants from four business disciplines at a regional state university in Eastern Kentucky were randomly recruited to complete a 60-item survey. Participants rated the importance of traits and qualities as well as academic knowledge/subjects. The results indicated that participants categorized various traits and qualities of successful business professionals, suggested by experts and scholars (