Study Highlights the Importance of Early Achievement

According to new research by Meridian College professors Juliette Sorensen and Isaac Ritzak, Human Resources executives are digging deeper into the histories of new hires for the most competitive jobs.

Seattle, WA (prHWY.com) August 9, 2012 - According to new research by Meridian College professors Juliette Sorensen and Isaac Ritzak, Human Resources executives are digging deeper into the histories of new hires for the most competitive jobs. According to Sorensen, "This underscores how competitive life is for the top students, and it illustrates how important it is for students to start early with SAT test prep to put themselves in a position for long-term success."

The Ritzak-Sorensen study included in-depth interviews with 117 human resources executives with direct responsibility for hiring executive-level employees. Of the 117 participants in the study, 32 worked with Fortune 500 companies, 49 worked with other large companies, and the remaining 36 worked in smaller businesses with 50 employees or less.

The common denominator in all the respondents' view seemed to be that with more college graduates who appeared qualified, human resources executives need to be more assertive during the interview process and need to be much more exhaustive in their investigation of candidates' background. "The one thing that was most apparent," explains Ritzak, "is that human resources execs today want people who have been winners from the start."

What does that mean? In simple terms, if a student wants a shot at the kind of quality, fast-track job that's going to lead to a big paycheck and a coveted corner office, they need to get their act together when they're in college. High school transcripts and SAT scores aren't off limits to an HR executive who wants them, and more and more hiring managers whose responsibility it is to fill fast-track positions are asking candidates for those credentials.

Sorensen puts special emphasis on SAT scores. "The SAT is a watershed. That score, perhaps more than any other feature of your early life, will dictate where you go in the long run." An SAT score is an important facet of college admissions decisions, which dictate whether a student gets into an elite program or not. It can be part of the graduate school admissions process. And now it's being scrutinized by hiring managers as well.

"It's an easy way to figure out whether you were a good kid or not," says Ritzak. "We all like the romance of a bad kid turning his life around, but the golden child is always going to win out over the rebel when it comes to a hiring decision."

In the study's conclusion, the researchers leave little to interpretation. "Perhaps more than ever before," they write, "competition for jobs begins with competition for college entrance. A student's grades and SAT scores are a harbinger for future success; struggles in high school should not be taken lightly or indulged by parents; and SAT test prep should be standard for every high school student who wants a future."

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Tag Words: sat test prep

Categories: Education

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