The Skills That Top Companies Are Seeking

81% of global corporate recruiters say interpersonal skills—such as compassion and empathetic leadership—are more important than any other kind of skill for business school grads to possess.

Fortune recently spoke to leading corporate executives, who shed some insight into what kind of skills they’re looking for in MBA grads.   

GENERALIZE > SPECIALIZE

While specializing in a field or skillset can certainly help you to stand out, some experts say that C-suite leadership positions require a more generalized skillset.

“I’m looking for raw talent that has been trained in the broad aspects of business, including how to think, how to lead, how to relate to people, and how to achieve results,” Brian Napack, CEO of John Wiley & Sons, tells Fortune.

BUILD CURIOSITY

Experts also say the ability to remain both humble and curious can serve MBA grads well once they start working.

“You come out of a place like that, a really good school, you understand discounted cash flows, but you don’t walk out of there knowing you’re just at the beginning of your journey,”

Joyce Mullen, CEO of Insight Enterprises, a Fortune 500 IT services company, tells Fortune. “This notion of humility and curiosity is all part of a growth mindset and ongoing learning.”

BE KIND

At the end of the day, the best leaders are ones who can demonstrate compassion and kindness. And a simple act of kindness, at any level in the company, can pay off.

“A group of kind people will create a different kind of culture,” Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo senior vice president and the company’s first-ever chief design officer, tells Fortune. “Kindness is an amazing glue to keep people working together. The real reason why we should do it is an ethical reason. We’d live in a better world.”

Sources: Fortune, GMAC