Leslie J. Savage Library: Importance of Information Literacy

Employers Desire Employees with Information Literacy Skills

"The skill categories valued most by employers are: innovation..., critical thinking and using quality information, and collaboration" (Raish & Rimland, 2016, p. 96).

"Nearly three-fourths of the participants in our focus groups had full-time jobs. Almost all of them said a primary part of their jobs required them to find, evaluate, and use information to solve problems" (Head, 2013).

"Employer expectations proved surprisingly consistent, regardless of industry or the positions graduates accepted upon entering the workforce. Nearly all the employers we interviewed said they expected candidates to have the ability to search online. This catch phrase indicated any number of tasks: knowing how and where to search on the open Web, manipulating and analysing data using software such as Microsoft Excel or Access, or demonstrating competencies related to proprietary database searches, such as in Lexis-Nexis and / or THOMAS" (Head, Van Hoeck, Eschler, & Fullerton, 2013, p. 85).

"As one employer explained, “They have to learn that research here is a slow process and you don‟t just get the quick answers”" (Head, Van Hoeck, Eschler, & Fullerton, 2013, p. 86).

"Most employers needed and expected new recruits to conduct research more rigorously and flexibly, while being able to size up and define information problems" (Head, Van Hoeck, Eschler, & Fullerton, 2013, p. 86).

"Employers told us that graduates needed to “move off the script”, “be resourceful and look in every place”, and “fact-check across multiple sources.” Above all, they said their recruits need to “build a network for tapping into tacit knowledge” within the work organization" (Head, Van Hoeck, Eschler, & Fullerton, 2013, p. 88).

"Employers want graduates who can “jump into the messy situations”, “read through stuff they may never use”, and apply “the dogged persistence” that research in the workplace requires" (Head, Van Hoeck, Eschler, & Fullerton, 2013, p. 89).

"Employers expected students to be proficient at online searching, which included both free web resources and the subscription databases found at academic libraries" (Bell, 2014).

"Employers thought students rushed too much on research tasks and depended too heavily on search engines. What they want are students who demonstrate patience and persistence, as well as an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of different information resources" (Bell, 2014).

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