To build the pipeline of employees for leadership positions, we need a bigger pool of qualified candidates at all levels in the company. We need people who are curious, who know how to solve problems, who are not afraid of failure, who know how to work with diverse groups, and who can lead strong teams.
These traits are often nurtured as part of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. Consequently, it would behoove recruiters to better consider recent college graduates with STEM backgrounds — not only to increase corporate diversity but to help their organizations succeed.
In STEM programs, students learn four key traits that all business leaders need to know and implement on a daily basis:
All these aren’t just traits that engineers or scientists must possess. Every strong leader must have these skills. That’s why it’s important not to pigeonhole STEM graduates for strictly IT jobs. For example, here are a number of careers in which STEM graduates can excel:
To ensure students in STEM, especially women, are applying for — and ultimately receiving — opportunities to work in various functions of a business, schools and businesses must collaborate on building a steady pipeline of candidates. To accomplish this, businesses should realign internships and recruiting efforts to expand opportunities for graduates. Additionally, employers can identify successful employees with similar STEM backgrounds to serve as mentors. Indeed, by questioning the status quo, working in diverse teams, and focusing on solving problems — the very same skills that STEM candidates themselves demonstrate — companies can discover better ways to recruit individuals who will innovate and advance the business.
