Understanding how to attract the best young candidates can be problematic for businesses. One thing that is for certain is that graduates want to work. Following years of studious determination and living off small budgets, earning money and climbing the career ladder is everything they’ve been working towards. The UK’s top employers are increasing their graduate vacancies by 9.1% in 2019, the highest annual rise in graduate recruitment since 2010 according to the latest research from graduate recruitment research specialists High Fliers.
For employers, this means recruitment is becoming increasingly competitive. Understanding how to attract and engage the best graduates will be vital to securing top talent for your businesses. Here are four tips that could help you do just that.
(1) Get your social channels in order
Your social media channels are likely to be the first port of call for a young person researching your business. Beyond your company’s business-oriented LinkedIn presence young people expect to be able engage with brands on any social media channel including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They will expect any business that wants to demonstrate it’s in touch with the modern world to have a presence on these channels. Your social channels should reflect company culture, shout about your benefits and provide a snapshot of day to day life in your company.
(2) Highlight your company’s work-life balance
Graduates want to be reassured that their life with their chosen employer won’t become endless days of all work and no play – they’ll be looking for a balance. According to a 2018 YouGov survey, millennials prioritise work-life balance over job security. From flexible hours to remote working, employers can increase their attraction to graduates while also achieving staff engagement.
(3) Don’t let the recruitment process drag on
We are now living in the age of instant gratification and this is strongest among younger workers and those entering the workforce. In today’s competitive recruitment market, a recruitment process that drags on and on can be frustrating for graduates who find themselves with plenty of downtime having finished their studies, and just want to start earning. While decision making shouldn’t be rushed, taking too long to make a decision could result in losing out on your preferred candidate.
(4) Invest in your benefits package
Even on a budget, businesses can still provide tangible benefits that inspire greater employee engagement and productivity for little-to-no-cost. Free bowls of fruit are one place to start but businesses that are more imaginative will increase their attraction to graduates.
Hastee Pay’s 2018 Workplace Wellbeing Study found 88% of workers take pay frequency into consideration when looking for new role while more than half said they would be more likely to stay with an employer who offers flexible payment. By offering on-demand access to earned pay, employers can offer graduates a benefit that will have a tangible impact on their lives that they will truly value.
If you can demonstrate a firm grasp of the modern business landscape, an understanding of the issues that are important to today’s young workers and the problems they face, then all you need to be able to do is talk openly and honestly about how the business accommodates young workers and helps them to achieve the best possible results in their new positions.
