Workplace ideologies play an important role in graduate employability and employers’ perceptions of the ideal employable graduate. However, insufficient attention has been paid to what employers take into consideration when making a recruitment decision and their perceptions of the ideal graduate. We deployed a qualitative methodology to collect data from 50 employers from diverse sectors in New Zealand. We found that employers highly appreciated socio-cultural fitness, constructing career-ready identities and displaying positive psychological qualities while being influenced by the normative ideology of ethnic habitus. Employers, often unconsciously, prioritised candidates who fit within the established cultural norms of the workplace, potentially overlooking qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds. Although employers’ narratives demonstrated an awareness of resisting normative ideologies, their recruitment practices often contradicted these ideals. The findings suggest that tertiary institutions could develop policies and activities to enhance graduates’ socio-cultural fitness, enact career-ready identities and promote positive psychological qualities. They may also raise graduates’ awareness of workplace ideologies and realities, enabling them to enact the necessary professional identities in the workplace. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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