What competencies are employers looking for in job candidates? What skills will be crucial in the future? And what kind of studies should you pursue to meet employers’ expectations? We asked HR expert, career consultant, trainer, Gallup-certified talent coach, and founder of JKW Training and Consulting – Justyna Kurek-Wdowiak.
What kind of employees are employers currently looking for?
Justyna Kurek-Wdowiak: “Employers want competent people, but not just in terms of hard skills. More and more often, they pay attention to soft skills — things that show whether someone will fit into a team and company culture, whether they’ll be engaged, and what kind of results they’ll deliver. These are the qualities that are truly valued today.”
In the age of AI, this is changing rapidly. Can we define the skills of the future?
J.K.W.: “The European Economic Forum regularly updates the list of future skills, and most of the top 10 are soft skills — things like collaboration, the ability to learn and unlearn, adaptability, and effective communication. Many of these are skills that AI simply can’t replace. Even if you ask ChatGPT which human skills remain irreplaceable, it will name soft skills. These are the skills needed right now and in the future.”
Do you need a university degree to gain these skills?
J.K.W.: “That’s a great question. These competencies can be developed at many stages of life — we begin learning them at home and in school. But university is a special time: a period of more independent learning and self-awareness, where students must take responsibility for their own progress. Alongside formal education, it’s also a time to gain the very skills needed to enter the job market and transition into full independence. That’s why it’s worth choosing degree programs that combine knowledge with soft skill development.”
What do employers focus on when hiring?
J.K.W.: “They look for a person who’s a good match not just for the position, but also for the company’s needs. Will this person fit into the organizational culture? Will they work well with others? Will they bring added value, show engagement, and communicate effectively?”
So again — soft skills. But in many industries, hard skills are essential. Does having a university degree help in those cases?
J.K.W.: “Absolutely — in fields like IT, healthcare, law, design, or construction, a degree and the knowledge behind it are essential. You can’t move forward without them. However, employers still seek those who not only have the technical expertise but who can also bring innovation, commitment, and long-term value to the company.”
How are hard skills typically assessed during recruitment?
J.K.W.: “In IT, for example, it helps if a candidate has a portfolio of projects — many students create these during their studies and publish them online. That’s a big advantage. Employers also often assign practical tasks to test a candidate’s real knowledge. If a degree program offers lots of hands-on experience, and the graduate performs well in these tasks — that’s ideal. The key is to combine hard skills with soft ones.”
Thank you for the conversation.
Interview by Łukasz Błąd
At UITM, we’ve been researching and responding to employer expectations for years. That’s why we design our degree programs and extracurricular offerings to help students gain up-to-date, in-demand knowledge in future-oriented fields — along with the soft skills that matter most. We tailor our academic offer to match the job market, confirm real-world competencies, and prioritize hands-on learning and expert insight. Outside of class, you can grow your skills by joining student research groups, media teams, or participating in hackathons and international cultural events that develop your intercultural competencies.
