The connection between international student mobility and employability : a descriptive study among Finnish employers

Abstract

International study and training experiences are commonly thought to increase graduate employability. However, only a few studies have attempted to investigate how international experiences are viewed by employers. The purpose of the present study is to explore the perceptions of Finnish employers by focusing on the following questions: 1) What are the competences valued by employers when recruiting graduates? 2) How do employers perceive international competences? 3) What is the role of international experience in recruitment decisions?

A non-probability sample of 60 Finnish employers was used for this research. The data was collected with a web-based questionnaire which gathered both quantitative and qualitative data. A mixed-methods approach was applied for the data analysis, and the data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

The findings of the study revealed that international experience is not considered an important recruitment criterion for Finnish employers. The results suggest that employers desire competences, such as reliability and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, it was found that international competences are strongly associated with language skills and understanding of other cultures, but also with many other work-relevant skills. Employers perceptions of international competences were observed to be closely related to twenty-first-century skills.

The findings imply that international student mobility may not be as crucial for employability as often presumed. All in all, the study suggests that even though the international experience of an applicant is not considered an important criterion for recruitment, are the attributes associated with international experiences highly valued among employers.