Graduates need to marry practical skills with academic qualifications, according to banking giant HSBC.

As a survey from Targetjobs rated HSBC as the financial institution they would most like to work for, ahead of Barclays in second place, a spokesperson for HSBC told Recruiter: “From a graduate perspective, its about employability.  Academic qualifications are the ticket to the game, but to play, the successful graduate needs to have some practical skills, the confidence to speak out when required and a fit with the organisational values.”

For more from HSBC, see Recruiter’s Banking and Finance Sector Analysis, 14 April.