If you spend a few minutes talking with college students about their career prospects, one topic is at the top of their minds: Will their jobs be displaced by a bot?
Their concern makes sense. Universities are integrating artificial intelligence into their curricula, and employers are adopting AI at a rapid pace. So most students assume that AI skills are now key to getting an entry-level job.
But what if employers are changing their candidate criteria just as quickly?
As scholars who research how technology is changing the workplace, we have long asked what employers value when hiring new talent. The question grew out of our conversations with both employers and students about internship experiences.
Year after year, employers emphasize communication, professionalism and other workplace skills as the areas where interns most need to improve. Students tend to focus on building their technical skills instead.
