Today’s top college students have high expectations about the jobs they are going to get after graduation. According to a survey conducted by Accenture, 63 percent of college graduates believe they are underemployed and need further training or schooling. More than three-quarters expected to get formal training at their jobs, but only 48 percent said they received it. Additionally, a survey by Chegg showed that most hiring managers felt graduates often had the hard skills to do the job, but lacked many of the soft skills such as the ability to work as a team player, office etiquette, good communication skills and collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds.
But what does this discrepancy mean to businesses that are trying to hire top talent from the freshest batch of recent college graduates? Unless you are Google or Apple and have top talent battling for jobs with you, it may be necessary to change your hiring strategy. According to a survey by Collegefeed, the top three most important things to Millennials entering the workforce are:
- The People and Culture Fit
- Career Potential
- Work/Life Balance
Work to fit your pitch to their expectations and watch as the talent grows before your eyes.
Hire the Underdog
Looking for the best of the best doesn’t always mean the highest scores, best grades or right look. Instead, look for a candidate who fits your company in attitude, goals and personality. Employers, such as LifeLock, look for candidates who show the willingness to go beyond the bare minimum and surpass expectations. They look for team players who can work on diverse teams and meet the daily challenges. Make sure they fit your company culture, and they’re sure to blossom.
Offer Internships
With the lack of on-the-job training, work experience and stiff competition, many college students are looking for ways to broaden their experience. Recent college grads want build up their skills and improve their prospects. You, as a business, get a firsthand look at how they perform. When they do well, you often get an opportunity to keep them on. Internship programs help college students develop professional skills and get a feel for what day-to-day operations look like. They’ll be more acclimated and prepared they are, the easier the transition into a full-time position.
Offer Benefits
According to a Student Monitor LLC survey, graduates can expect to receive an average of 2.2 weeks of vacation time during their first year. Wegmans Food Stores, for instance, is ranked as the No. 2 employer for work/life balance according to CNN. Offering not only time off, but health care, dental coverage, adoption assistance and more, they realize the advantages of offering benefits to their employees.
Be Different
You may not be the biggest, but your business can easily adopt perks that would attract the right employee. Video game company Red 5 Studios found their 100 “dream candidates” and sent each one a personalized iPod with a private message from the CEO. Almost 100 percent of the candidates responded, with three leaving positions to come work for them. The results continued with more potential candidates hearing about it and wanting to apply.
Gregory P. Smith is a speaker, trainer and leadership development consultant. He is the founder and President of Chart Your Course International. He has written ten books including, Fired Up! Leading Your Organization to Achieve Exceptional Results.
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