Employers value emotional intelligence and soft skills, seeking graduates who can communicate and adapt to real-world demands, says UTM psychologist
PETALING JAYA: Academic excellence alone is no longer enough to guarantee career success, with employers increasingly valuing emotional intelligence, adaptability and soft skills over perfect grades.
That is the view of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Centre for Psychological and Counselling Services director and senior psychology officer Dr Zulfikar Ahmad who says the modern workplace rewards graduates who combine knowledge with practical and interpersonal abilities.
“Industries are looking for candidates with strong soft skills, positive attitudes, good communication and resilience.
“Graduates who actively participate in student activities or programmes outside the lecture room often display stronger character-building qualities.”
Zulfikar said students who balance academics with extracurricular involvement develop essential workplace competencies such as teamwork, leadership, adaptability and problem-solving.
While they may not always graduate at the top of their class, these graduates are often better prepared to meet the challenges of structured work environments.
“In recruitment, employers seek communication skills, teamwork, creative and critical thinking, a strong work ethic and adaptability. Academic excellence alone should not stereotype graduates, as industries expect a broader range of competencies.”
Zulfikar also addressed a common perception – high achievers sometimes struggle to adjust psychologically to fast-paced or routine workplaces.
He said traits such as perfectionism and overthinking are not confined to top scorers.
“Both academically excellent and average students can display such traits, but the difference often lies in flexibility. Students who have experience managing study-life balance are generally more adaptable when transitioning into work-life balance.”
Highlighting the gap between academic and workplace demands, he said: “The real world of work requires hands-on involvement and human-centred decision-making.
“Graduates are often placed in managerial or leadership roles, which require empathy and practical judgment, not just textbook knowledge.”
From a psychological standpoint, Zulfikar stressed that emotional intelligence (EQ) plays a crucial role in career success, alongside IQ and social skills (SQ).
“Future workplaces require these three elements to work together. EQ and adaptability are meta-skills that determine how effectively a person applies intelligence in a constantly changing social environment.”
Employees with high EQ are better equipped to manage stress, build trust, motivate colleagues and create a productive work culture, he said.
“Raw intelligence may suit planning tasks, but working with people requires emotional resilience and adaptability.”
Zulfikar added that early conditioning around grades can shape how top achievers respond to authority, feedback and failure.
“While academic excellence reflects discipline and knowledge, it may sometimes make negotiation and coping with setbacks more challenging.
“Difficulty accepting failure can increase workplace tension, especially in high-pressure environments.
“Graduates need mindset shifts and realistic expectations about their careers. They must be culturally fit and able to adapt from university life to the Malaysian workplace setting.”
He urged universities to be more than centres of academic learning.
“In classrooms, lecturers are authority figures and grades measure performance. In the workplace, supervisors replace lecturers and performance replaces grades.”
Zulfikar added that both high-achieving and average graduates have a place in the job market.
“Employers are not rejecting excellence. They are seeking graduates who are adaptable, emotionally intelligent and capable of contributing effectively in real-world environments – qualities that go beyond grades.”
