The summer holidays are just around the corner. At this time every year, many secondary school and university graduates decide to join the workforce.

Leaving the familiar school environment for a strange work place is an important milestone in our lives, for which we must be well prepared.

Since 1999, the Government has conducted regular surveys on employers' expectations of the quality and performance of university graduates.

What the employers said in the surveys can offer valuable advice for youngsters.

Their responses show that employers consider work attitude and interpersonal relationship skills the most important attributes of a good employee.

These include a sense of responsibility, professional conduct, perseverance, motivation, team spirit, adaptability and the ability to meet new challenges.

Attitude supersedes aptitude

In the eyes of the employers, these are far more important requirements than an employee's language proficiency or information technology skills.

In other words, the employers agreed that attitude supersedes aptitude in determining altitude. It is unlikely that an irresponsible person who works without devotion will ever succeed, no matter how competent he or she is.

In his classic essay A Message to Garcia, Elbert Hubbard argues that "it is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them �K to concentrate their energies" to do the thing entrusted to them.

These words were written more than 100 years ago, but the lesson still applies.

Only those who are responsible, who fear no difficulty and who carry out their duties faithfully will be entrusted with an important job.

Devotion essential for success

Maybe you want to be a teacher, an accountant, a beautician, a lawyer, a designer, an engineer or a doctor.

Whatever it is, you must be devoted to your job before you can do it well and succeed.

You must know your interests and abilities, and not set your goals too high. You must appreciate that every job is a good training ground. You must learn to get along with others, and do your best.

But you should not take an attitude of holding on to your job while looking for a better one, nor expect instant success.

Successful people may have different fortunes and capabilities, but two things they share are perseverance and dedication.

Have you watched the TV programme Talking to CEOs? From business leaders we learn the lesson that rewards come only from hard work.

Numerous examples

We also see numerous examples of hardworking and devoted people in everyday life.

Midnight Workers, another TV programme, introduces these common people who work diligently to get their jobs done.

They are the nightshift bus drivers who greet passengers like close friends, and the foremen who lead their teams to clean our streets in all weather conditions.

Leaders or workers, it is their dedication to discharging their duties that deserves our respect.

Have you done your best at school? Have you developed good work habits? Do you have those important requirements employers expect of their employees?

I hope those of you who will soon join the workforce will treasure your jobs and take every chance to learn and move forward every step of the way.

(This is the 10th Letter to Youth by Fanny Law issued on June 6)