Wanted: Problem Solvers with Creativity

A new study has found that being tech-savvy pays off in today's competitive marketplace.

The “Seeking Creative Candidates: Hiring for the Future” study released by software maker Adobe Systems in September 2014 found that 82 percent of hiring managers say they seek well-rounded candidates who can creatively apply core academic skills to a range of business and technical problems.

Yet, seven in 10 hiring managers agree that today’s college students are unprepared and lack the necessary skills for success.

The study surveyed more than 1,000 hiring managers across a range of backgrounds: 213 were predominantly digitally focused; 726 had a traditional background with some digital elements; and 129 had a traditional background with no digital elements.

A full 60 percent of hiring managers say that students and recent graduates can set themselves apart by developing a broad range of skills and increasing their focus on creative thinking. Another 47 percent said that students should find out what makes their creative wheels turn, and 35 percent say creativity will take them further than technical expertise.

“What we find is that candidates with technical skills get hired but don’t advance,” says Tacy Trowbridge, education programs lead for Adobe. “We need to engage both students and educators to be creators.”

The vast majority of hiring managers agreed that preparing students for the future requires a more modern approach: 54 percent say students must have opportunities to take courses and training to prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow, while another 33 percent say students in technical fields should also be required to take courses in creative disciplines. While 78 percent of hiring managers believe that creativity is required for economic growth and is valuable to society, only 51 percent think businesses grasp the importance of creativity.