How to Attract Recent College Graduates
Spring is upon us, and for a lot of college students, that means it’s almost time to graduate. This is great news if your company is looking to hire some new employees, as these recent grads tend to be quick learners and overall hard workers with unique skill sets that can benefit your business alike. However, it’s important to know how to find and recruit the best candidates for the job.
If you want to attract young talent, it’s important to understand what sets them apart from other recruits and how you might need to adjust the hiring process to attract them. Here is your (almost) step-by-step guide to understanding and attracting new graduates.
How to Write a Job Description
Inclusivity and transparency are key when marketing any job to new college graduates. Use easy-to-read language and avoid specific industry lingo that they may not yet understand. Be sure to include a relevant job title that accurately encompasses the role while considering common searchable job titles.
Focus on the skills needed for the job while keeping in mind that skills are teachable. Requiring 3-5 years of experience for an entry-level job means that new college graduates who might only have internship experience, or none at all, won’t apply for that position.
Include the benefits and perks of working for your company. A competitive salary, flexible schedules, PTO time, 401(k), healthcare, and other perks rank high at the top of recent graduates’ list, so make sure to highlight what your company offers, as well as your culture.
How to Advertise the Job
With this tech-savvy generation, you need to make sure that you’re advertising these positions where your candidates spend a lot of their time – online. First, think about the type of person you are looking to fill the role and tailor the ad accordingly. For example, if you’re hiring for a receptionist, write the ad to sound professional and less casual.
Outside of your company website, make sure to post on popular job boards. Popular job posting sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter are great starting points.
Finally, use social media to leverage candidates. LinkedIn is extremely popular with college students and is a great way to reach potential employees. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are also great tools to post open positions. It’s also fairly simple and cost-effective to sponsor paid ads on Facebook and Instagram so you can target your job posting to a more niche market.
Understand Generational Differences
Meaningful work matters. Today’s young workers are willing to work hard but they grew up hearing that a healthy work-life balance is crucial to performing well in all areas of their life. When they ask about time off and their daily schedule, don’t consider that a sign of laziness. Instead, understand the world they live in.
Above all, remember that you’re asking someone to take a big step into the unknown by accepting a job offer with your company, so try to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible. If you need help adding to your workforce, or tapping into the potential of college graduates, contact The Reserves Network today.
