The Role of English Exit Tests in Employment Decisions: An Employer Perspective Study

English proficiency is widely recognised as a critical asset for enhancing graduate employability in a globalised job market. To ensure graduates meet these linguistic expectations, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) utilises the English Exit Test (EET) as a mandatory graduation prerequisite. However, uncertainty remains regarding the extent to which corporate recruiters value and utilise these test results in actual hiring processes. This study investigates potential employers’ perspectives on the importance of the EET for graduate employability. A pilot survey was undertaken with a purposive sample of 36 industry participants involved in a range of sectors, including business, finance and education, using a quantitative survey design. The data were obtained online through a 5-point Likert-type scale questionnaire consisting of 20 questions under four main factor components, namely importance, certificate perception, hiring decision, and policy. The strategic value of the EET was strongly supported by the employer consensus, as shown by descriptive analysis. Employers strongly believe that the EET is a valid instrument for assessing task performance and shortlisting candidates for interviews or international assignments. In addition, there was a broad consensus among stakeholders on the need to keep the EET as a compulsory university policy. In contrast, employers do not extensively use the EET scores for their own organizational decisions, such as promotion or salary increase. The implications are that although the normal trend for universities should be to continue adopting the standardisation of language requirements, they have to continuously reorient teaching and learning towards authentic communicative competence in the workplace.

English Exit Test (EET), Graduate Employability, Graduate Attributes, Communication

1. Ahamed, K. (2026). English language proficiency and employability in the global workforce: Challenges and opportunities for non-native English speakers. Language Teaching, 4(1), p1.https://doi.org/10.30560/lt.v4n1p1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Amin, N. M., & Bakar, M. S. A. (2022). Learning English among graduates-to-be: What can motivate the learners? Jurnal Sains Insani, 7(1), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.33102/sainsinsani.vol7no1.349 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Cambridge English Language Assessment, & Quacquarelli Symonds. (2016, November). English at work: Global analysis of language skills in the workplace (Full report). Cambridge English Language Assessment. https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/english-at-work [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Employers want English-ready graduates. (2025, December 21). The Star. thestar.com.my [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Gan, K. H., Teoh, K. B., Cheah, Z. B., The, W. X., Tan, Q. Y., Ng, N., Goh, Y. L., Prerna, K., and Kanoujiya, S. D. (2024). A study on the unemployment rate of youth graduates student in Malaysia. Journal of Community Development in Asia, 7(2), 133-144. https://www.ejournal.aibpm.org/index.php/JCDA [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Ganapathy, M., Mehar Singh, M. K., Kaur, S., & Kit, L. W. (2017). Promoting higher order thinking skills via teaching practices.3L The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies,23(1), 75-85. https://doi.org/10.17576/3l-2017-2301-06 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Hiew, W., Tibok, R. P., Ngui, W., Gabda, D., & Suyansah, Q. (2021). Science graduate employability and English language proficiency: Findings from a Malaysian public university. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(7), 23–43. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.7.2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Ishak, W. I., Md Salleh, S., Ibrahim Brian, M. S., Abdul Rahman, A. L., & Tirtana, A. (2025). Representing English in the graduate economy: A media analysis of language proficiency and higher education in Malaysia. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9, 7005–7018. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Ismail, R., Yussof, I., & Sieng, L. W. (2011). Employers’ perceptions on graduates in Malaysian services sector. International Business Management, 5(3), 184–193. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Jawing, E., & Kamlun, K. (2022). Social science graduate employability and English language proficiency: Findings from a public university in Malaysia. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling, 7(47), 878–892. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.747064 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Khazanah Research Institute. (2023). School-to-Work Transition of Youth in Malaysia: A Graduate’s Dilemma. Kuala Lumpur: Khazanah Research Institute. Retrieved from https://www.krinstitute.org/assets/contentMS/img/template/editor/20231214_SWTP%20Full%20Report.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Knight & Yorke, M. (2004). Employability in higher education: What it is – what it is not. Higher Education Academy. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Malaysian Qualifications Agency. (2020). Programme Standards: Language. www.mqa.gov.my [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Maksan, N. I., & Mohd Sukri, H. I. (2025). The importance of English language proficiency on employability in Malaysia among non-English major students. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(24), 770–781. doi.org [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Mohamad,F., Abdullah, N., Ahmad Buhari, T., Mat Daud, N. S., Ramlan, Z. S., & Swee Ai, T. (2020). Establishing predictive validity of English exit test: Students' EET performance and academic achievement. International Journal of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics,4(1), 57.https://doi.org/10.24191/ijmal.v4i1.9501 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2018). Job Outlook 2019. NACE. https://www.naceweb.org [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Nesaratnam, S., Wan Salleh, W. H., Foo, Y. V., & Wan Hisham, W. M. S. (2020). Enhancing English proficiency and communication skills among Malaysian graduates through training and coaching. International Journal of Learning and Development, 10(4), 1- 21. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijld.v10i4.17875 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Ne’matullah, K. F., Pek, L. S. and Roslan, S. A. (2023). Speaking English in job interviews increases employability opportunities: Malaysian employers' perspectives. International Journal of Language, Literacy and Translation 6(2), 166-178. https://doi.org/10.36777/ijollt2023.6.2.085 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. New Straits Times. (2022, July 26). English proficiency plays a role in unemployment. Retrieved from https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/07. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Ong, T. W. S., Ting, S. H., Humaira Raslie, Ernisa Marzuki, Chuah, K. M., & Jerome, C. (2022). University students’ communication and employability skills: Mismatch perspectives of students, lecturers, and employers in Sarawak, Malaysia. Notion: Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Culture, 4(2), 93–103. https://www.researchgate.net /publication/365197658 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Putra, T. M., Yulia, C., & Ana. (2023). Systematic literature review on the use of English in the workplace. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Innovation in Engineering and Vocational Education (ICIEVE 2021). Atlantis Press. DOI:10.2991/assehr.k.220305.023 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Pool, Darce L., & Sewell, P. (2007). The key to employability: Developing a practical model of graduate employability. Education + Training, 49(4), 277–289. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910710754435 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2020). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847.https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Suhaili, M. S., Razak, R., & Deni, K. (2025). TVET graduates: The importance of workplace English communication skills for effective work performance. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(2), 1-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i2/22960 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education + Training, 59(4), 338–352. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-05-2016-0090 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Vetter, T.R. (2017). Descriptive Statistics: Reporting the Answers to the 5 Basic Questions of Who, What, Why, When, Where, and When, so What? Anesth Analg, 12595), 1797-1802. https://doi.org/10.1213/ane.0000000000002471 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Ziegenfuss, J. Y., Easterday, C. A., Dinh, J. M., JaKa, M. M., Kottke, T. E., & Canterbury, M. (2021). Impact of demographic survey questions on response rate and measurement: A randomized experiment. Survey Practice, 14(1), 1-11.https://doi.org/10.29115/sp-2021-0010 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study