A majority of finance professionals believe that graduates are not equipped with the necessary skills they require to start work, according to research by Robert Half Finance & Accounting.

It found that financial professionals believe graduates lack knowledge of the company’s industry (26%), communication skills (22%), and general office etiquette (21%).

David Jones, managing director of Robert Half Finance & Accounting, said: “We highly recommend that employers adopt a structured training scheme to help new accounting and finance graduates settle into their role. To current students we also suggest they get as much office experience as possible before applying for jobs as this not only makes them far more appealing to employers but also allows the much smoother transition from student life to commencing a fulfilling career.”

The survey also reveals that 21% of companies are regularly hiring international or overseas workers in order to enhance their internal skills capabilities. However, when asked whether their companies should be doing this 94% of finance workers felt that they should not.