Today’s college graduates arrive on the job market with extraordinary credentials and exceptional tech savvy, but according to a recent survey, there is one attribute that seems to be in short supply – professional behavior. The survey, a project of the newly created Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania, polled over 500 business leaders and human resources professionals. The results seem to indicate that colleges would be well served if they prepared their students by teaching them workplace etiquette and positive demeanor in addition to standard course work.

What defines professional behavior? Respondents to the survey cited “personal interaction skills, including courtesy and respect”; “a work ethic which includes being motivated and on a task until it is complete”; and “appearance”, including multiple body piercings and tattoos. Communication skills are an important part of the package, with a special emphasis on the ability to listen.

The study further defines the ‘values’ gap between these young job seekers and their older employers. “Concern about opportunities for advancement” may be the engine driving most recent college grads, however employers are less impressed with their ambition. Instead, employers would rather see their new hires step up and accept responsibility for decisions, show initiative and the ability to act independently, and have a clearer sense of purpose and direction.

Noting that the most frequently expressed reasons cited by survey respondents included differing cultural values, a changing work ethic and an increased sense of entitlement, York professor and survey director David Polk asks, “…are we just a bunch of dinosaurs looking at young people saying, ‘What I’m seeing here is inappropriate.’ ”

Using the study to provoke classroom discussion, Polk’s students have admitted to what might be termed an inflated sense of entitlement. But they reject the idea that things like body piercings and tattoos project a sub-professional image in the workplace. These attitudes concern Polk, who cites parents who often foster unrealistic ideas.

“We tell our children, ‘You’re all worth something,’ and ‘None of you are losers.’ I’ve asked my class, ‘Do you really think you’re all winners in everything?’ I mean, you’ve got to be mediocre in something.” Polk says. “This attitude that everyone’s going to play on the team and that everyone is going to be recognized for something is out there. “
His recommendations include more demanding standards for students, and urges his colleagues to begin by challenging inappropriate classroom behavior.

“As a professor, most of us see our jobs as conveying knowledge and making sure our students comprehend it. I’m not sure how many would respond that it is also their job to help a student develop good behavior.” Polk notes. “There’s this moral authority that some professors get uncomfortable with. For this to work successfully, when a professor calls out a student’s behavior, the administration should be there to back them up immediately and say, ‘Your behavior is wrong.’ ”

York’s Center for Professional Excellence will launch a number of seminars throughout the academic year. These sessions at this Pennsylvania college will focus on work place issues, and will include direct input from employers regarding their expectations for employee conduct.