Adjust recruitment strategies to land promising new college graduates
Author: Scott Fiore
Class of 2019 college graduates are entering the best job market in years. The National Association of Colleges and Employers says that companies plan to hire about 10 percent more new graduates from this year’s class than they did last year. Employers are opening up positions to them that might have once gone to more experienced professionals. And overall, these grads can expect higher salaries than those in 2018.
But despite their initial excitement over landing their first professional job, many won’t remain in their first jobs long. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than half of recent college graduates leave their first job within a year, most citing a bad fit.
Some of this turnover could be prevented by employers adopting different recruitment strategies from those they use for experienced professionals. Even career-focused students with impressive GPAs don’t know all about the industries they’re entering, nor will they be familiar with corporate policies and procedures.
Each new graduate is essentially a blank slate of professional experience but presents an opportunity for employers to develop young potential. Investing in their youthful virtues—trainability, potential for growth, fresh perspectives, and tech know-how—can be beneficial and even profitable for your company in the long run.
Recruitment strategies to attract and land recent college grads
Here’s how to recruit new college grads—adopt these recruitment strategies:
- Training opportunities – More than 80 percent of new grads expect formal training from their first employer, according to a recent survey by Accenture Strategy, a business and technology consulting firm. This could take the form of a structured orientation program or mentorship.
- Internship program – Companies that provide internships to college students not only give students real-world experience but can evaluate them as potential hires after graduation.
- Ongoing communication – Staying in touch with students after career day events or who show interest in your company keeps your firm top of mind on their list of preferred employers.
- Social media – Maintain your company’s visibility among college students and recent grads on social media, primarily Twitter and Instagram.
- College relations – Keep in contact with college career offices and professional student organizations to arrange for speakers from your company and to post job openings.
What to look for in new grads with little or no professional experience
With a lack of professional experience to consider, how can companies best select these new employees? While prospective employers can’t rely on resumes listing past work achievements, they can look for evidence that new grads would have a high probability of success at their company:
- College achievements and experiences – High GPA, excellent grades in their major, involvement in extracurricular activities, volunteer service, internships, and part-time or summer jobs
- Soft or transferable skills – Experiences where they learned skills not formally taught in school, e.g., leadership, organization, communications, time management, and problem solving
- Personality and compatibility – Assessing for these traits can be as important as evaluating skills and qualifications. We use a behavioral and personality assessment to ensure the best fit between clients and candidates. Our assessments can reduce turnover by 30 to 40 percent.
Recruiting employees can be tough, but it’s what we do best
The recruiting process from beginning to end takes substantial time and effort. That’s why the help of a job recruiter can lessen your stress, time, and even money. A recruiting agency can find candidates who are high performers as well as good fits for your company, raising your odds of a successful hire. Read about how we stand by our placements with our Good People Guarantee.
TriStarr is a recruitment employment agency in Lancaster, PA. Our experienced recruiters find candidates who are accomplished in their professional areas and compatible with our hiring companies. Contact us today through our website or call us at 717-560-2111.
Class of 2019 college graduates are entering the best job market in years. The National Association of Colleges and Employers says that companies plan to hire about 10 percent more new graduates from this year’s class than they did last year. Employers are opening up positions to them that might have once gone to more experienced professionals. And overall, these grads can expect higher salaries than those in 2018.
But despite their initial excitement over landing their first professional job, many won’t remain in their first jobs long. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than half of recent college graduates leave their first job within a year, most citing a bad fit.
Some of this turnover could be prevented by employers adopting different recruitment strategies from those they use for experienced professionals. Even career-focused students with impressive GPAs don’t know all about the industries they’re entering, nor will they be familiar with corporate policies and procedures.
Each new graduate is essentially a blank slate of professional experience but presents an opportunity for employers to develop young potential. Investing in their youthful virtues—trainability, potential for growth, fresh perspectives, and tech know-how—can be beneficial and even profitable for your company in the long run.
Recruitment strategies to attract and land recent college grads
Here’s how to recruit new college grads—adopt these recruitment strategies:
- Training opportunities – More than 80 percent of new grads expect formal training from their first employer, according to a recent survey by Accenture Strategy, a business and technology consulting firm. This could take the form of a structured orientation program or mentorship.
- Internship program – Companies that provide internships to college students not only give students real-world experience but can evaluate them as potential hires after graduation.
- Ongoing communication – Staying in touch with students after career day events or who show interest in your company keeps your firm top of mind on their list of preferred employers.
- Social media – Maintain your company’s visibility among college students and recent grads on social media, primarily Twitter and Instagram.
- College relations – Keep in contact with college career offices and professional student organizations to arrange for speakers from your company and to post job openings.
What to look for in new grads with little or no professional experience
With a lack of professional experience to consider, how can companies best select these new employees? While prospective employers can’t rely on resumes listing past work achievements, they can look for evidence that new grads would have a high probability of success at their company:
- College achievements and experiences – High GPA, excellent grades in their major, involvement in extracurricular activities, volunteer service, internships, and part-time or summer jobs
- Soft or transferable skills – Experiences where they learned skills not formally taught in school, e.g., leadership, organization, communications, time management, and problem solving
- Personality and compatibility – Assessing for these traits can be as important as evaluating skills and qualifications. We use a behavioral and personality assessment to ensure the best fit between clients and candidates. Our assessments can reduce turnover by 30 to 40 percent.
Recruiting employees can be tough, but it’s what we do best
The recruiting process from beginning to end takes substantial time and effort. That’s why the help of a job recruiter can lessen your stress, time, and even money. A recruiting agency can find candidates who are high performers as well as good fits for your company, raising your odds of a successful hire. Read about how we stand by our placements with our Good People Guarantee.
TriStarr is a recruitment employment agency in Lancaster, PA. Our experienced recruiters find candidates who are accomplished in their professional areas and compatible with our hiring companies. Contact us today through our website or call us at 717-560-2111.
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