Recruiting the recent college grad: Best practices
for long-term employment success

by: Kimberly Wylie

Table of Contents

Outline 3

Introduction 6

Benefits to Hiring Recent College Graduates 6

Effective Means of Recruiting Recent College Graduates  7

Common Mistakes Made by Employers When Recruiting On Campus  9

Develop a Relationship with University Faculty 10

Less Formal Recruiting Effort that Are Effective  10

Media and Making a Positive Connection 11

Top Reasons Why Students Accept a Job Offer 11

Top Reasons Why a Student Declines a Job Offer 12

Nine Areas of Improvement for an Organization’s Recruiting Efforts 13

Retaining the Recent College Graduate 13

Conclusion 15

Appendix 17

Abstract

This paper discusses the recruiting and retaining recent college graduates. The unique benefits of recent college graduates are explored, as well as the best ways to recruit this specific demographic of candidates. In addition, how to retain these valuable employees, once they have been brought on board is also discussed. As the marketplace becomes ever more competitive, it becomes increasingly important for companies to hire and retain the best candidates possible. By efficiently and effectively attracting and retaining recent college graduates, organizations can be one step closer to ensuring their success within the industry.

Introduction:

Today’s global business world is more competitive than ever. In this ultra-competitive environment, one of a company’s most valuable resources is their employee. For this reason recruitment and retaining of the best employees is critical to a company’s success. One of the best sources for new skilled employees comes from the halls of academia in the form of recent college graduates.

There are distinct benefits to hiring recent graduates over other candidates. The benefits will be explored within this paper. Once it is understood that recent graduates offer a unique opportunity for the organization, it is prudent to then discuss the most effective and efficient means of recruiting these highly sought after candidates. However, bringing a new employee onboard is only half the challenge, retaining that recent college graduate is the key to turning an investment into an asset. By fully understanding what recent college graduates value, learning the best methods of recruiting these distinctive candidates, and developing best-practices to retain these new employees for the long-term, an organization can implement strategies to enhance their competitive edge in an increasingly competitive marketplace. This competitive edge can mean the difference between being an industry leader or one who watches as competitors eagerly eat away at their hard earned market share.

Benefits to Hiring Recent College Graduates:

Recent college graduates offer advantages that other types of candidates often lack. First and foremost, recent college graduates typically have received the most current education available in key disciplines. This is especially true in rapidly changing fields of study, such as information technology, where command of the latest technology can be a valuable asset. Non-technical fields of study can profit from recent education as well. Business graduates can apply the latest theories and principles they’ve learned. These theories can then be transformed into effective and efficient procedures, and implemented as winning strategies. They can evolve into new ideas that the organization would not think of otherwise. Recent college grads can be exactly the fresh face an organization needs to push itself outside of its comfortable box. Graduates typically express open-mindedness and willingness to learn and try new ideas, that seasoned candidates sometimes have trouble with. (Rynes & Orlitzky, 1997, p. 309) They have an eagerness to prove themselves, which can spur an entire organization on to the next level. They are prepared for change, and embrace it, and are not jaded by past experiences in the industry as more seasoned professionals can be. Nor, are they set in the ways things ‘should be’ done, as this is an entirely new experience for them. Although life-long careers are a thing of generations past for the most part, there is longevity potential with each recent college graduate. The use of mentoring, where the graduate is taken under the wing of someone within the organization who can provide sage advice and assistance, can hone a graduate’s skills to precisely what the organization needs. (McLarty, 1999, p. 104) A well-organized mentoring program can provide the new graduate with the training, guidance and emotional support they need to be successful and become invaluable to the company’s success. (Jeffords, Scheidt, & Thibadoux, 2000, 49)

Effective Means of Recruiting Recent College Graduates:

The question then becomes, how does one go about effectively recruiting these valuable recent college graduates? The ultimate goal for any organization is to garner enough interest in their company that recent college graduates are clamoring for an interview, which can be more accurately defined as a “procedure designed to predict future job performance on the basis of applicants’ oral responses to oral enquiries.” (as cited in Silvester, 1997, p. 61) If they can do that, recruiting becomes merely a task of selecting the best candidate for the position. However, what skills should one look for when recruiting a college graduate? When is the best time to begin recruitment effort? And, what are the most effective ways to spark that interest in the company, which so clearly equals effective recruiting? The skills an organization looks for in any candidate, including recent college graduates, differ from position to position, but can be generalized into three categories. Technical skills, or what some would call quantitative skills are of course a concern. However, interpersonal skills (or qualitative skills) are of primary importance. These are then followed by technical skills, and then finally communication skills, to round off the top three categories of what one should look for when recruiting graduates. (Kane, 1993, p. 66)

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