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"When employers are considering two equally qualified new college graduates for a position, what influences their decision about which candidate to choose? In our survey, employers reported that the candidate's having held a leadership position would influence the decision very much," said Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

Results showed that only the candidate's major was as influential on the decision as leadership. On a scale of 1 (no influence at all) to 5 (extreme influence), employers also expressed a preference for hiring candidates with relevant work experience. See table below.

"Other studies we've conducted show that organizations target new college graduates for job openings because it gives organizations the opportunity to mold their future leaders," said Mackes. "This study bears out the importance of leadership skills."

Also, less than 5 percent of respondents reported that work experience isn't typically a factor in their decision to hire a new college graduate.

"For new college graduates, that relevant work experience typically comes from participating in an internship or cooperative education program," said Mackes.

Attributes	Rating
Has held leadership position	4.0
Major	4.0
High GPA (3.0 or above)	3.7
Has been involved in extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, student government, etc.)	3.7
Has done volunteer work	3.2
School attended	3.0