2026年企业招聘者调查报告 Corporate

Theresultsofthe2026CorporateRecruitersSurveyrevealtheresilientvalueofgraduatemanagementeducationduring

timesofchange.EmployerexpectationsforAIandtechnologyskillscontinuetorise,butincreasinglyinserviceofbetter

strategicthinking,decision-making,andproblemsolving-capabilities.Businessschoolsarepreparinggraduates

foraprofoundlydifferentbusinessenvironment,yetwith

durableskillsthathavelonghelpedleadersinnovatewith

newtechnologies,manageintergenerationalworkforces,andnavigateeconomicandgeopoliticaluncertainty.

JoyJones

CEO,GMAC

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report2

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report3

Tableofcontents

Introduction 4

Executivesummary 5

Keyfindings 6

SkilldemandintheAIera 7

EmployerconfidenceinGME 20

Hiringandcompensationtrends 32

Conclusion 46

Methodology 47

Respondentprofile 48

Appendix 49

Contributors 50

1.Todetermineregion-leveltargetsamplesizes,wecalculatedpoweranalysesbasedonobservedeffectsfromlastyear’sCorporate

RecruitersSurvey.Ofthekeyeffectsthatwerechosen,thelowesteffectsizehadaCohen’sdof0.46.UsingG*Power,wesimulatedrequiredsamplesizesgivend=0.46usingt-testsand80%powerwiththetargetofhavingunequalsamplesizesatratioof2.5.Foratargeteffectsizeof0.46,asamplesizeof53isrequiredforthesmallergroupand131forthelargergrouptoachieve80%powertoobserveeffects.Forourregionaltargets,weincreasedthelargergroupto150toincreasepower.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report4

Introduction

Since2002,theCorporateRecruitersSurveyfromGMAC™hasprovidedtheworld’sgraduatebusinessschoolsandemployerswithdataandinsightstounderstandcurrenttrendsinskilldemand,hiring,compensation,andperceptionsofMBAandbusinessmaster’sgraduates.

GMAC,togetherwithsurveypartnersEuropeanFoundationforManagementDevelopment

(EFMD)andtheCareerServicesandEmployerAlliance(CSEA),conductedthesurveyfrom

JanuarytoMayof2026,inassociationwiththecareerservicesofficesatparticipatinggraduatebusinessschoolsworldwide.GMACalsoworkedwithamarketresearchfirmtorecruitadditionalparticipantstomaketheoverallsamplemoregloballyrepresentative.

Intotal,621corporaterecruitersandhiringmanagersfromstaffingfirmsaroundtheworld

participatedinGMAC’s2026CorporateRecruitersSurvey.Respondentscamefrom39countries,providingadequatesamplesizestoreportdetailsforCanada,CentralandSouthAsia,East

andSoutheastAsia,LatinAmerica,theMiddleEast,UnitedStates,andWesternEurope.Globalresultsareweightedbythepercentagegrossdomesticproduct(GDP)ofeachworldregionto

adjustfortheregionalemploymentopportunitypotential.Additionalinformationonthereport’smethodsisavailableinthemethodologysection.

Thefirstsectionofthisreportidentifiestheskillsthatemployersvalueinbusinessschool

graduatestodayandinthecomingyears.Itthenexamineswhyemployersremainconfidentin

graduatemanagementeducation(GME)beforeevaluatinghowtheirconfidencetranslatestorealandprojectedhiringandcompensationtrends.

2026samplestats

621

survey

respondents1

39

countries

represented

53%

fromGlobalFortune500

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report5

Executivesummary

The2026CorporateRecruiterSurveyresultssuggestthattheintegrationofartificialintelligence(AI)intotheworkforcehasreshapedemployerexpectationsandbehaviors.Unsurprisingly,thedemandforAI-

relatedskillsgrewfasterthananyothercapabilitysurveyedthisyear.Whenaskedwhichskillswill

bemostimportanttotheirhiringdecisionsinfiveyears,skillsusingAItoolstoppedthelistforthe

secondyearinrow.Butwhenaskedhowcapabletoday’sgraduatesaretoleverageAItoolsintheirorganizations,mostglobalemployersthoughttheywerejustsomewhatprepared,notveryprepared,orunprepared—anewbutcriticalgapinemployerexpectationsofAIintegrationintotheclassroom.

However,AI’simpactisnotnecessarilymost

recognizableinhowemployersexpectGME

graduatestousespecifictoolsandtechnologies.

Instead,itsimpactisperhapsmostprofoundinthegrowthofemployerexpectationsforcomplementaryskillslikedataanalysisandadaptability.AIhas

becomesoubiquitousthatithasboostedthe

needforemployeeswhocananalyzeitsoutput,

changedirectionbasedonthenewinformation,andeffectivelycommunicateapathforward.

Atthesametime,oneinthreeemployersreported

alreadyreplacingatleastsomeentry-levelroleswithAI—asignalthatthetechnologyisreshapingnotjustwhatskillsarevalued,butwhichopportunitiesare

availabletonewgraduates.Thischallengetoentry-levelrolescomesasemployersalsoexpresslessconfidenceintoday’sGMEgraduates’“professionalism,”such

astheirreliability,respectfulness,accountability,orprofessionalappearance.

ThoughtheimpactofAIisundeniable,itisnotthe

onlyfactorreshapingemployerexpectationsofGME.Attitudestowardhowandwhereadegreeisearnedcontinuetoevolve,with61percentofemployers

nowvaluingonlineandin-personprogramsequally—upfrom55percenttwoyearsago.Thepictureon

micro-credentials(suchasprofessionalcertificates)ismorenuanced.Whileglobalemployersstill

broadlyfavorGMEdegreeholdersoverthosewith

micro-credentialsalone,U.S.employershavegrownincrementallymoreopentoalternativecredentials,atrendworthmonitoringforschoolsconsideringhowtodiversifytheirprogramofferings.

Asinternationalstudentsflocktoprogramsin

WesternEuropeandAsia,itappearsemployersin

thoseregionsaremorethanwillingtohiretheinfluxoftalentfromabroad.U.S.employers,bycontrast,

havegrownlessopentosponsoringinternational

hiresinthepastfiveyears,withsomecompanies

redirectinginternationalhiringtotheirofficesabroadinresponsetochangesinU.S.governmentpolicy

Throughalloftheseshifts,thefundamentalvalue

ofagraduatebusinessdegreeremainsintact.MBAgraduatesarestillexpectedtoout-earndirect

industryhires,andbusinessmaster'sgraduates

continuetocommandapremiumoverbachelor's

degreeholders.EmployerconfidenceinGMEis

universal,andhiringintentionsareupacross

degreetypes.Forbusinessschools,thechallenge—andtheopportunity—istobuildonthatstrong

foundationwhileadaptingquicklytosuittheneedsoforganizationsundergoingfundamentalshiftsin

howtheywork.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report6

Keyfindings

SkilldemandintheAIera

⚫Technology,AI,anddataanalysisskillsgrewthemostinimportancecomparedtolastyearascommunicationskillsandadaptabilitysurgedtotopspots.

⚫Morethanhalfofemployerssaidcandidatesareverywelloradequatelypreparedto

demonstratemostofthesurveyedskillsintheirorganizations—exceptforAIskills,grit,managinghumancapital,andemotionalintelligence.

⚫Two-thirdsofAI-concernedemployerswantGMEgraduatestouseAItoolstoautomate

tasks,andhalfofcommunications-concernedemployersprioritizedgraduates’presentationandverbalcommunicationskills.

EmployerconfidenceinGME

⚫OnehundredpercentofemployersexpressconfidenceinGME;however,therewasameaningfuldeclineintheshareofemployerswhothinktoday’sGMEgraduatesareasprofessionalastheywereinpreviousyears.

⚫Acrossmostindustries,moreemployersviewedonlineandin-personprogramsequally

in2026comparedto2024.Consultingemployersarestilltheleastlikelytovaluethe

modalitiesequallycomparedtorecruitersinothersectors,thoughtheydemonstratedthemostgrowthoverthepasttwoyears.

⚫Asinpastyears,employersfromAsiawereespeciallylikelytoagreethatemployeeswithGMEdegreestendtobemoresuccessfulintheirorganizationsthanthosewithmicro-

credentialsalone,whileU.S.employersweretheleastlikelytoagree.

Hiringandcompensationtrends

⚫One-thirdofglobalemployersreportedreplacingatleastsomeentry-leveljobswithartificialintelligence.

⚫Comparedtofiveyearsago,employersinWesternEuropeandEastandSoutheastAsiaaremorelikelytohiretalentwhorequireadditionallegaldocumentation.U.S.employershavegrownlesslikelytosponsorinternationalhiresinrecentyears,thoughone-thirdofU.S.

employersplannedtohireinternationaltalenttotheirofficesabroadin2026.

⚫U.S.MBAgraduatesarestillexpectedtoout-earndirect-from-industryhires,andbusinessmaster’sgraduatesstillgetastartingsalarypremiumcomparedtobachelor’sapplicants.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report7

SkilldemandintheAIera

AsAIandothertechnologiesreshapehoworganizationsoperate,understanding

preciselywhatemployersvalueinnewhireshasneverbeenmorecritical.Thissectionexplorestheskillsemployersprioritizetoday,howtheyassesscurrentgraduate

readiness,andwhichcapabilitiestheyexpecttomattermostinfiveyears.Theresultsofferapracticalbenchmarkforschoolslookingtokeeptheirprogramsandcareer

preparationstrategiesaheadofemployerexpectations.

Programandcareerservicestakeaways

⚫Adaptabilityanddataanalysisarethemeta-skillsoftheAIera:Employersareplacinggrowing

valueonadaptabilityanddatainterpretationasAIdisruptsworkflows,socareerservicesteamsshouldhelpstudentsarticulatespecificexamplesofnavigatingchangeandinterpretingoutputfromdifferentsources.

⚫DemandforAIproficiencyisrisingfast,but

someemployersareworriedGMEgraduatesare

unprepared:SkillsusingAltoolssawthelargest

year-over-yeargrowthinemployerdemand,yet

itremainsoneoftheskillsgraduatesareseenas

leastpreparedtodemonstrate—makingitanurgentcurriculargapforprogramstocontinuetoaddress.

⚫Communicationskillsremainthefoundation:Even

asAltransformstheworkplace,employersstillrankcommunicationatthetopoftheirhiringcriteria.

Programandcareerservicesteamsshouldcontinuetoprioritizepresentation,verbalcommunication,

andactivelisteningcoachingwithoutlettingnewerprioritiescrowdthemout.

Technology,AI,anddataanalysisskillsgrewthemostinimportancecomparedtolastyearascommunicationskillsandadaptabilitysurgedtotopspots.

Lastyear,employersconsideredproblem-solving,communicationskills,andstrategicthinkingmostoftenintheirhiringprocess(Figure1).In2026,communicationskillsandproblem-solvingstilltopthelistofmost-valuedskills,withadaptabilityjumpingtothethirdspot.Altogether,

theevolvingvaluationofskillsthatemployersuseintheirhiringprocessessignalworkplacesprofoundlydisruptedbyAI.

Acrosstheboard,employersinthe2026surveysamplevaluedeachskillmorethanlastyear.Eveninayearwhenemployersplacedmorevalueinskillsgenerally,therewasespeciallylargegrowthintheshareofemployerswhovalueddataanalysisandinterpretation.Dataanalysis

skillssurgedthemostinemployervalueoverthepastyear,movingfromthe10thpositiontoemployers’fourth-mostvaluedskillandsurpassingevenstrategicthinking.Withtheriseof

generativeAIusageacrossworkplaces,organizationsmayneedtheiremployeestohaveevensharpercapabilitiestoreviewtheoutputandunderstandtechnology-enhanceddataanalysis.

DespitethesurgingpopularityofAIskills,whichgrewthemostofalltheskillssurveyedyear-over-year,itstillrankedlowerthanonemightexpect.In2025,skillsusingAItoolswasthe16thmostvaluedskillamongemployers.In2026,itwasstillonlythe14thmostvaluedcapability.

ThemoregeneralcategoryoftechnologyandITskillsalsogainedpopularityamongemployers,movingfromthe11thtotheninthposition.Theserankingssuggestthat,atleastfornow,AIisanincreasinglyvaluedbutstillsupportivecapabilityratherthanthedefiningskillemployers

seek.AndmoreimportantthanskillsusingAItoolsthemselvesaretheabilitytoanalyzetheoutput,adaptbasedonthenewinformation,andeffectivelycommunicateanewapproach.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2025Report8

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report9

Figure1:Dataanalysisandinterpretation,skillsusingAItools,andothertechnology/ITskillsgrewthemostinvalueinthelastyear.

Adaptabilityisnowthethirdmostimportantskillemployersvalueintheirhiringdecisions.

MostimportantskillsforcurrentGMEgraduates,2025and2026

20252026

CommunicationskillsProblem-solvingAdaptability

Dataanalysisandinterpretation

Strategicthinking

Interpersonal/teamworkskillsDecision-making

Time/projectmanagementTechnology/ITskillsInitiative

LeadershipskillsInnovation

Emotionalintelligence

SkillsinusingAItoolsCoachability

Networking/relationshipbuildingLifelonglearning

Grit

GlobalbusinessskillsManaginghumancapital

Cross-culturalcompetenceEntrepreneurship

51%

64%

54%

62%

46%

60%

%

59%

51%

58%

4%

58%

4%

57%

4%

55%

55%

4%

54%

4%

53%

52%52%

50%49%

48%42%

1%

42

4

4

440%

4

4

39%

40%

31%

38%

34%

30%

29%

4

29%

36%

25%

34%

26%

34%

25%

28%

0%25%50%75%100%

Shareofemployers

Note:Skillsaredefinedintheappendix.

Inadditiontobetterunderstandingwhichbusinessschoolskillsemployersvaluemost,the

surveyalsoaskedemployershowpreparedtheybelievecurrentgraduatesaretoleveragethesecapabilitiesintheirorganizations.Halformoreofrespondingemployersviewedcandidates

asverywelloradequatelypreparedacrossnearlythefulllistofskills,withtheexceptionsof

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report10

emotionalintelligence,humancapitalmanagement,grit,andskillsusingAItools(Figure2).Infact,roughlyone-in-fiveemployersviewedcurrentGMEgraduatesasnotveryornotatallpreparedtomanagehumancapital,demonstrategrit,orexerciseemotionalintelligence—

indicativeofthegrowingrelevanceofhumanskillsinanAI-affectedworld.

Figure2:MostemployerssaidcandidatesareverywelloradequatelypreparedtodemonstratemostskillsintheirorganizationsexcludingAIskills,grit,

managinghumancapital,andemotionalintelligence.

Employersweremostconfidentincandidates’preparednessrelatedtotechnologyandcommunicationskills.

PreparednessofcurrentGMEgraduatesbyskill,2026

nVerywellpreparednAdequatelypreparedSomewhatprepared

NotverypreparedNotatallprepared

Technology/ITskillsCommunicationskills

GlobalbusinessskillsCoachability

Interpersonal/teamworkskills

Dataanalysisandinterpretation

Cross-culturalcompetence

Networking/relationshipbuildingStrategicthinking LifelonglearningProblem-solving

Time/projectmanagement

LeadershipskillsEntrepreneurshipDecision-making InnovationAdaptability

Initiative

SkillsinusingAItoolsGrit

ManaginghumancapitalEmotionalintelligence

22%

46%

26%5%

22%

45%

24%6%

23%

39%

31%

4%

18%

44%

31%

6%

19%

42%

3

1%

6%

22%

39%

24%

13%

23%

37%

3

4%

6%

21%

39%

3

1%

7%

20%

39%

3

4%

5%

19%

40%

32

%

8%

19%

39%

36

%

6%

17%

41%

3

8%

4%

17%

38%

35%

10%

22%

32%

7%

17%

36%

39%

8%

18%

34%

42%

6%

16%

36%

40%

7%

13%

37%

39%

10%

16%

33%

42%

8%

13%

34%

28%

22%

15%

30%

32%

22%

16%

26%

38%

19%

39%

0%25%50%75%100%

Shareofemployers

Emotionalintelligence,definedastheabilitytorecognize,understand,manage,andeffectivelyuseone’sownemotionsandtheemotionsofothersinvarioussocialandinterpersonal

situations,wasacommonconcernregardlessofanemployers’regionorindustry.Fewerthan

halfofemployersinCanada,EastandSoutheastAsia,theUnitedStates,andWesternEurope

reportedthatcurrentGMEgraduatesareverywelloradequatelypreparedtoleverageemotionalintelligenceintheworkplace.Likewise,fewerthanhalfofemployershiringforpositionsin

consulting,finance/accounting,manufacturing,andproducts/servicesthoughtcurrentGME

graduatescanoperatewithanappropriatelevelofemotionalintelligence.Yetfortheskillsthatemployersvaluemost—communicationskillsandproblem-solving—mostemployersviewed

graduatestobeverywelloradequatelypreparedregardlessoftheirregionorindustry.

Withanunderstandingofwhichskillsemployersvaluemost—andhowpreparedthey

believecurrentGMEgraduatesaretoleveragethosecapabilitiesintheirorganizations—we

askedemployerswhichskillstheythinkwillbemostinfluentialtotheirhiringdecisionsfive

yearsfromnow.Likelastyear,skillsusingartificialintelligencetoppedthelistoffuture

skills,followedbystrategicthinkingandothertechnology/ITskills(Figure3).Alsolikelast

year,problem-solvingwasstillatopfutureskill,thoughcommunicationskillsdroppedsix

positions.Whileitisstrikingthataportionofrespondentssaidcommunicationskillsare

importanttodaybutnottomorrow,theshareofemployersreportingthefutureimportanceofcommunicationskillsisonlyeightpointsshyofthetopspot—adifferencethatiswithinthemarginoferror,meaningitcouldbeareflectionofthesampleratherthanatruereflectionoftheemployerpopulation.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2025Report11

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report12

Figure3:EmployersanticipatedskillsusingAItoolswillgrowthemostinimportanceinthenextfiveyears.

Morethanhalfofemployersthoughtstrategicthinkingisimportantnowandfiveyearsfromnow.

个13

个5

6

MostimportantcurrentskillsMostimportantfutureskills

1

Communicationskills(64%)

1

SkillsinusingAltools(53%)

2

Problem-solving(62%)

2

Strategicthinking(50%)

3

Adaptability(60%)

3

Technology/ITskills(49%)

4

Dataanalysis/interpretation(59%)

4

Decision-making(47%)

5

Interpersonal/teamworkskills(58%)

5

Problem-solving(47%)

6

Strategicthinking(58%)

6

Adaptability(46%)

7

Decision-making(57%)

7

Communicationskills(45%)

8

Technology/ITskills(55%)

8

Dataanalysis/interpretation(42%)

9

Time/projectmanagement(55%)

9

Innovation(42%)

10

Initiative(54%)

10

Leadershipskills(42%)

11

Leadershipskills(53%)

11

Emotionalintelligence(39%)

12

Emotionalintelligence(52%)

12

Networking/relationshipbuilding(39%)

13

Innovation(52%)

13

Lifelonglearning(38%)

14

SkillsinusingAltools(50%)

14

Time/projectmanagement(38%)

15

Coachability(49%)

15

Globalbusinessskills(36%)

16

Networking/relationshipbuilding(48%)

16

Initiative(36%)

17

Lifelonglearning(42%)

17

Interpersonal/teamworkskills(34%)

18

Grit(41%)

18

Coachability(33%)

19

Globalbusinessskills(36%)

19

Grit(33%)

20

Cross-culturalcompetence(34%)

20

Cross-culturalcompetence(31%)

21

Managinghumancapital(34%)

21

Managinghumancapital(31%)

22

Entrepreneurship(28%)

22

Entrepreneurship(28%)

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report13

Byregion,thereareseveralcommonalitiesinwhichskillsweremostvaluedbyemployers—as

wellassomeexceptions.Communicationwasatoptwocurrentskillamongemployersacrossregions—withtheexceptionofLatinAmerica,whereitwasnoteveninthetopfive(Figure4).

Likelastyear,U.S.employerswereespeciallyconcernedabouttoday’sGMEgraduates’socio-

emotionalskillscomparedtootheremployers,withadaptability,interpersonal/teamwork,andcoachabilityskillsincludedintheirtopfive.Problem-solvingwasatopcurrentskillamong

employersinallregions,andatopfutureskillamongemployersintheAmericasandWestern

Europe.Strategicthinkingsimilarlyfeaturedinmostregions’topcurrentandfutureskills.SkillsusingAltoolswereespeciallyimportanttoatleasthalfofCanadianandWesternEuropean

employers’hiringoftoday’sGMEgraduates,andatopfivefutureskillamongemployersacrossallregions.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report14

Figure4:Problem-solving,communicationskills,andstrategicthinkingwereamongthemostvaluedcurrentskillsamongGMEemployersacrossregions.

SkillsusingAItoolsandstrategicthinkingwerethemostvaluedfutureskillsamongGMEemployersacrossregions.

Topcurrentskills

Topfutureskills

Canada

1.Communicationskills(56%)

1.Decision-making(56%)

1.Interpersonal/teamworkskills(56%)

1.Problem-solving(56%)

5.Adaptability(52%)

5.SkillsinusingAItools(52%)

5.Strategicthinking(52%)

5.Technology/ITskills(52%)

5.Timemanagement/projectmanagement(52%)

1.SkillsinusingAItools(46%)

1.Strategicthinking(46%)

3.Communicationskills(35%)

3.Dataanalysisandinterpretation(35%)

3.Problem-solving(35%)

CentralandSouthAsia

1.Technology/ITskills(81%)

2.Communicationskills(75%)

3.SkillsinusingAItools(71%)

4.Timemanagement/projectmanagement(69%)

5.Decision-making(67%)

5.Problem-solving(67%)

5.Strategicthinking(67%)

1.Decision-making(73%)

2.SkillsinusingAItools(60%)

2.Technology/ITskills(60%)

4.Communicationskills(52%)

5.Innovation(50%)

5.Strategicthinking(50%)

Eastand

SoutheastAsia

1.Communicationskills(54%)

2.Dataanalysisandinterpretation(53%)

3.Adaptability(51%)

3.Problem-solving(51%)

5.Technology/ITskills(50%)

1.SkillsinusingAItools(51%)

2.Strategicthinking(49%)

2.Technology/ITskills(49%)

4.Decision-making(46%)

5.Dataanalysisandinterpretation(43%)

Latin

America

1.Strategicthinking(59%)

2.Decision-making(55%)

2.Technology/ITskills(55%)

4.Interpersonal/teamworkskills(48%)

5.Initiative(45%)

5.Problem-solving(45%)

1.Technology/ITskills(45%)

2.Lifelonglearning(39%)

3.Dataanalysisandinterpretation(36%)

4.Decision-making(34%)

5.Innovation(32%)

5.Problem-solving(32%)

5.SkillsinusingAItools(32%)

5.Strategicthinking(32%)

MiddleEast

1.Problem-solving(55%)

2.Communicationskills(52%)

3.Technology/ITskills(48%)

4.Lifelonglearning(45%)

5.Dataanalysisandinterpretation(43%)

5.Networking/relationshipbuilding(43%)

5.Strategicthinking(43%)

5.Timemanagement/projectmanagement(43%)

1.Strategicthinking(48%)

2.Technology/ITskills(41%)

3.Communicationskills(36%)

3.SkillsinusingAItools(36%)

5.Dataanalysisandinterpretation(34%)

United

States

1.Communicationskills(93%)

2.Problem-solving(91%)

3.Interpersonal/teamworkskills(90%)

4.Adaptability(89%)

4.Coachability(89%)

1.Strategicthinking(68%)

2.Communicationskills(63%)

3.Adaptability(62%)

4.Problem-solving(61%)

4.SkillsinusingAItools(61%)

WesternEurope

1.Decision-making(52%)

2.Communicationskills(51%)

2.Problem-solving(51%)

2.Strategicthinking(51%)

5.SkillsinusingAItools(50%)

5.Timemanagement/projectmanagement(50%)

1.SkillsinusingAItools(45%)

2.Decision-making(41%)

3.Problem-solving(38%)

4.Technology/ITskills(37%)

5.Emotionalintelligence(34%)

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report15

Topcurrentandfutureskillsalsovariedbyanemployers’industry.Communicationskills

featuredinthetopcurrentskillsofemployersacrosssectors(withtheexceptionoftechnologyrecruiters,thoughnearlytwo-thirdsoftheseemployersstillvaluecommunicationskillsin

today’shiringdecisions)(Figure5).Strategicthinkingorproblem-solvingalsofeaturedinthetopfivecurrentandfutureskillsofemployersinnearlyeveryindustry.SkillsusingAltoolswerein

thetopfivefutureskillsofemployersineachsector—withthenotableexceptionofconsulting,thoughmorethanhalf(54percent)oftheemployersintheindustrystillbelieveditwillbeanimportantskillconsideredinhiringdecisionsfiveyearsfromnow.

GMAC|CorporateRecruitersSurvey2026Report16

Figure5:Communication,problem-solving,andstrategicthinkingskillswere

amongthemostvaluedcurrentskillsamongGMEemployersacrossindustries.

Withtheexceptionofconsultingemployers,usingAItoolswasatopfivefutureskillamongemployersacrosssectors.

Topcurrentskills

Topfutureskills

Consulting

1.Communicationskills(88%)

2.Problem-solving(81%)

3.Adaptability(76%)

3.Interpersonal/teamworkskills(76%)

5.Initiative(74%)

1.Networking/relationshipbuilding(61%)

2.Problem-solving(60%)

3.Dat