Final answer:
Transferable skills, such as effective communication, time management, and creative thinking, are most valued by employers according to the NACE study. They are considered essential for securing professional-level employment, applicable across various job roles, and critical for career advancement.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the NACE study, the most important attributes for securing professional-level employment are often referred to as transferable skills. Examples of these skills include effective communication, innovative inquiry, creative thinking, time management, setting priorities, multitasking, drafting emails and proposals, presenting, participating in meetings, working in a team, influencing, and advising. Employers value these transferable skills because they are applicable in a variety of settings, help employees to adapt to different tasks, and are essential for career progression.
To stand out to potential employers, it is crucial to not only demonstrate these skills but to also provide examples of how you have effectively used them in real-world situations. Emphasizing your ability to stay current with job-specific knowledge, attending professional development events, and having a strong foundation in effective communication can make a significant difference. Whether you are in engineering, which requires modern engineering tools and techniques, or any other industry, these transferable skills are universally sought after and prized by employers.