Change your strategy for graduate recruitment
Let’s face it: recruitment strategies for traditional positions in business can still rely on traditional recruitment methods and job portals. However, when you are dealing with Gen Y graduates you need to adopt a whole new strategy.
Recruiters can no longer rely on a strategy of advertising in national newspapers and mainstream university campus career days, using glossy brochures and promotional hand-outs to lure candidates. Technology plays a major role in graduate recruitment as it has enabled graduate candidates, whether they studied at the more traditional or alternative institutions, to position themselves for any and all graduate recruitment opportunities nationally.
Social media drives the way Gen Y communicates
They have established networks, forums and chat groups. They also have a community spirit which sees them supporting each other in most endeavours, including job hunting. Typically, a job advertisement is placed on a recruitment portal, the networks spin into action, and the advertisement goes viral to thousands within a matter of hours.
Unfortunately, the response to the advertisement is normally handled in a similar manner by the graduate:
- CVs are shot off to the recruiter’s address, irrespective of if they fit in with the job requirements and academic qualifications required. This is where the role of the graduate recruiter has evolved into coach/mentor:
- An applicant with an electrical engineering qualification will apply for a position in banking, for example. Not only will this candidate be completely misplaced in this position, leading to unhappiness in the workplace and possibly resignation, but he or she will also have taken the position away from another candidate who is perfectly suited to the position.
So many graduates rarely take the time to research the company that is recruiting
Not only are they unaware of what the companies do but they mostly have no idea if the position advertised matches their career aspirations. A response of “Ah, Ah, I haven’t really done my research” is not an uncommon answer to the question: “The client is ABC, tell me what you know about them”.
They are also rather unaware of how they are able to adapt their studies to pursue a career in a direction other than what they studied. For example, many do not realise that a marketing qualification can easily be an entry to a sales position.
The recruiter must take on the role of employer branding specialist and position the company
This leads to more time being necessary for each recruitment interview, turning the entire recruitment process into a virtual career fair. The graduate recruiter has become an important promoter of the employer brand of the organisation and by building the brand they are able to position the company to attract the best graduates.
In most instances, recruiters also need to adopt the mantel of mentor, advising applicants on their interview skills, career choices and the opportunities available to them outside of the mainstream of their chosen academic qualifications. Posture, body language, eye contact and dress code are important in making that initial positive first impression. Candidates must be encouraged to ask questions relevant to the position and the company to demonstrate their interest in the position offered. Above all, you – as the recruiter – need to tell candidates to just be themselves.
