Article 2025

Professional Communication for Employability: A Qualitative Study of Graduate and Employer Insights

KM
Kamil, Maisarah Ahmad
 SH
Syed Husain, Sharifah Shahnaz
 AK
Abdul Kadir, Zaemah
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Journal · Art. 23294906251358387
Abstract

English professional communication competence is crucial for fresh graduates to succeed in the workplace and has been identified as a national priority in Malaysia to enhance employability. This study explores key attributes of that competence based on interviews with 12 employers and 9 graduates. Using a basic interpretive qualitative approach, 26 attributes were identified across four areas: linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence. The findings highlight the importance of aligning educational outcomes with workplace demands and offer insights that support curriculum development, targeted instruction, and assessment—informing policy and future research to enhance graduate readiness. © 2025 by the Association for Business Communication

Keywords

Author Keywords

employability Professional communication Workplace communication communication competence fresh graduates graduate readiness

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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