Five Tips for Hiring Upcoming Graduates in 2023
They’re young, scrappy, and equipped to bring fresh perspectives to your organization. College graduates can bring immense value to your team, and having the right hiring processes in place will ensure that your ideal candidate chooses your business to launch their long-term career.
In fact, 49% of college seniors began searching for a full-time position three to nine months
before graduating in 2022, according to Kathy Gurchiek with the Society for Human Resource
Management. The end of the spring semester is on the horizon, so prepare for the influx of job
seekers and learn how best to recruit the next stellar member of your team.
Without further ado, here are five top tips for hiring recent college graduates.
1. Consider the candidate beyond their degree or GPA.
Look for a candidate whose qualities and capabilities extend beyond what’s written on their
transcript. Ask about the tangible skills they possess, and evaluate whether you believe their
personality meshes well with company culture and values. After all, it’s likely you’ll receive
applicants with extremely similar academic qualifications, but by taking a skills-first approach to hiring, you will find it much easier to determine who best fits the job.
2. Conduct outreach for diversity and forge inclusive pathways.
Forming connections with underrepresented communities allows you to tap into exceptional
talent that may have otherwise been missed out on. Establish outreach programs that provide
access to your organization and create opportunities for those who are under-resourced to have an equal chance at potential employment.
3. Put your best branding foot forward.
92% of employees say that company culture has an impact on their job decisions according to a 2022 EY survey. Among today’s generation of grads, the brand of a potential employer is
increasingly being taken into account. Pay attention to how your corporate culture is being
conveyed, and take advantage of touchpoints like social media to portray your company’s
unique mission, workplace environment, and values.
4. Highlight your capacity for remote or hybrid work modalities.
Similarly to corporate culture, opportunities for remote or hybrid work are becoming increasingly important for graduate job seekers. Besides offering flexible working accommodations for in-person candidates, use the digital landscape to your advantage and encourage remote candidates graduating from anywhere to apply. For more on how to navigate online recruitment, read our post on three tips for screening remote candidates.
5. Form relationships with local colleges and universities.
Reach out to the top institutions in your area and get involved on their campuses. Holding
networking events, attending a speaker series, or sponsoring major fundraising events are only a few of the ways your business can build familiarity and make an impact on graduating
students.
Secure your ideal candidate with a seamless hiring and screening experience.
Now that you know the foundation of a solid recruitment plan, execute by utilizing a reliable
background check provider to streamline your interview and onboarding process to eave
candidates with a positive impression of your company. Partner with Authentica to make
choosing the right hire simple, all while reducing your business risk and putting the quality of
your team first. Learn more about our best-in-class screening platform and how you can get
started with our services today.