GMAT Essays (AWA)

"Some employers who recruit recent college graduates for entry-level jobs evaluate applicants only on their
performance in business courses such as accounting, marketing, and economics. However, other employers also
expect applicants to have a broad background in such courses as history, literature, and philosophy."

Do you think that, in the application process, employers should emphasize one type of background-either
specialization in business courses or a more varied academic preparation-over the other? Why or why not? Develop
your position by using reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.
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As a rule, there are two approaches of evaluating recent college graduates when recruiting them on entry level jobs. Some employers evaluate applicants basing on their business background while the others emphasize the importance of varied background in history, literature and philosophy for instance. The question is how to choose the right applicant. I am inclined to believe that the wise employer will not evaluate applicant's knowledge in one specific field but he will evaluate compound knowledge and skills of an applicant.

Firstly, hiring new personnel to fill certain positions is a complex process which requires solid staffing strategies. Every employer needs to find the best ways for an effective recruitment, maximizing the company's performance. Opponents of evaluating applicants according to their varied background say that this is significant for every employee to have high intelligence in all spheres of knowledge. Regarding to this fact, some companies use IQ tests, which were designed to assess intelligence. Some tests are visual, some are verbal, some tests only make use of abstract-reasoning problems, and some tests concentrate on arithmetic, spatial imagery, reading, vocabulary, memory or general knowledge. According to Frank Schmidt and John Hunter, American psychologists, "for hiring employees without previous experience in the job the most valid predictor of future performance is general mental ability." In addition, IQ and its correlation to health, violent crime, gross state product, and government effectiveness were the subjects of a 2006 paper in the publication Intelligence. By and large, with high IQ employees will easily be able to perform different tasks successfully and will be able to mobilize under changes which may occur in business environment.

Secondly, wise employer will pay attention to personal qualities that may be crucial. In a sense, passion for the work can be beneficial. Also, ability to appropriately communicate in written, oral, or practical form is significant as well as character, integrity, respect for others and their opinions and leadership qualities. What is more, an encouraging personality is important.

All things considered, varied background is necessary for an applicant to perform successfully and to survive in a challenging business environment. Nevertheless, it should not be forgotten that sometimes the company needs a specialist in one particular area and in that case applicant should be assessed according to his knowledge only in that particular sphere. In addition, wise employer should bare in mind a competency model, and look for those specific skills and qualities that lead to superior performance.