Graduates… They’re a picky bunch, aren’t they? They have shorter attention spans than goldfish, yet have all these incredible ideas that are changing the way the corporate world works.
They are turning down jobs that don’t meet their needs nowadays, so to help you hire the right graduate for your workforce we put together the 7 mistakes to avoid in the process:
1. Strict work arrangements
Nine to five work days just don’t work anymore. Graduates want to know they are trusted and more importantly have the autonomy and flexibility to come into work ‘whenever’ they want. Telling them they can come into work anytime before 10 can go a long way.
PWC report that for modern millennials and graduates, work/life balance is more important than financial reward. Which leads us on to our second mistake to avoid.
2. Throwing cash at them
Nowadays, graduates are far more committed to their personal learning and development, rather than the amount of money they can make. They know that they will make more money as they grow older and progress professionally.
So when hiring someone fresh out of university don’t just focus on the payment package you can offer them, but the development and career progression that you have on offer at your company as well.
Don’t take this the wrong way though, you still have to pay them!
3. Hiring for a grad position but you need 3 years experience
Stop asking graduates for too much experience. A lot of businesses nowadays tend to hire grads based on their CV, rather than focusing on the eagerness and inquisitiveness of a candidate.
Experience is an important aspect when hiring, but it’s not everything. You will get the best results from hiring a graduate when they have a real interest in the position, a standout work ethic and an eagerness to improve.
4. Rarely challenging them
I’ll be honest I’m a recent graduate, and I want to be challenged. There’s a self-fulfilling aspect to it that I can’t explain.
If the job I’m in fails to challenge me, whether that be my problem-solving skills or my communication abilities, then my interest in the job will eventually fizzle out.
Give us tasks that take us out of our comfort zone, and give us projects that we can lead ourselves. Continuously challenge us so that we want to stay and build a future with you.
5. Overly complicated job descriptions
Most of us have read through a job description, and after reading for a good five minutes sometimes you still have no idea what the job really is.
Businesses tend to include complex verbiage to define the purpose of the role and make the role itself stand out with fancy mumbo-jumbo.
This can be a huge turn off for a young professional who is unable to understand your requirements. Be quick, concise and clear when describing the role you have on offer.
We’re looking for an International Asset Financial Analyst… Just say Accountant for god’s sake.
6. Sticking to the same hiring style
You won’t hire a graduate the same way you hired a baby boomer. Stop posting in newspaper classifieds, and start utilizing the online space to its full capacity.
45% of people browse for jobs on their mobile, so get mobile-friendly and maybe even use social media to advertise the role you have on offer.
Get creative with it. Check out 5 Great Creative Ways to Tweet A Job Vacancy and Get Noticed.
7. Assuming they always want to leave
Listen, there’s a lot of truth to the fact that graduates and even older millennials enjoy change, especially when it comes to employment. They want to try out different things and see what interests them the most.
But a lot of organizations assume that this is fact and think that you can’t employ a graduate for the long-run. Did you ever think it’s because, as we mentioned before, you’re not challenging them enough or offering them constant development?
Don’t just assume graduates are short-term employees, if you want them to stay then try to avoid the simple mistakes I’ve listed in this article and build a future for the very best young talent in your company.
