With the skill set and passion, graduates have, they are the best hires fast-growing companies can make. This article explains 5 top reasons you should hire a graduate. Every company should have a graduate programme in their business to hire graduates. If not, then now is the time to start hiring them. Graduate programmes bring fresh talent into your organisation. Many companies position their graduate hire programme as a direct pipeline into their leadership development strategy, which supports business growth and allows new leaders to emerge.
1. Hire a graduate because they're ready to learn
A new graduate has the qualifications to enter the job market and an eagerness to apply these newly discovered skills to real-life practice. Graduates want to learn from others with experience. They recognise their development will be faster when coupled with experienced colleagues, managers and mentors. For a graduate to flourish in your company, ensure you surround them with growth opportunities. In a recent 2022 poll taken by RecruitAGraduate with graduates, after salary, an opportunity for growth was the most crucial factor for graduates when considering whether to join a company.
2. Hire a graduate because they're culturally inclusive
Hiring graduates from culturally and racially diverse universities will ensure these positive attitudes are carried into the workplace. In addition, recent graduates are most often open to working in culturally diverse teams. As more companies hire remote-based teams from different parts of the globe, recent graduates will easily fit into these culturally diverse teams.
Diversity and inclusion are not preferences for a younger workforce like Gen Z; they are imperative. Diversity is the watchword for Gen Z: Diversity matters to them through many dimensions, not just isolated to race and gender but also related to identity and orientation. Companies that can better represent the spectrum of differences in their external branding/marketing are much more likely to attract and diversify their talent pipelines.
3. Hire a graduate because they're tech-savvy
Recent graduates, of which most are now Gen Z, are the most tech-savvy generation of workers and digital natives because they've only ever known a world with mobile devices and the internet. This tech-savviness has changed their perspective on work and the workplace.
Recent graduates will bring in fresh thinking, applications and ideas on improving all things work using tech. In addition, they have a natural affinity for software, making them adaptable and agile in a digital world.
If your company needs a tech transformation and upgrade, or you are a tech-based company that needs tech-savvy people at its core, then hiring a recent graduate is a no-brainer.
4. Hire a graduate because they're future-ready
Recent graduates are ready for #thefutureofwork. They know no boundaries on where to work. Having grown up with the internet and access to the global economy, recent graduates can work from anywhere with any team.
Gen Z has an affinity for online learning, which impacts how employers recruit graduates. "We encourage all employers to look beyond formal degrees to additional online courses completed by young job-seekers, making them work-ready. In addition, this ability to go online and teach oneself a skill gives an employer insight into the attitude, commitment, curiosity, an affinity for learning and a desire to self-improve," says Phillipa Geard, Founder and CEO of RecruitAGraduate.
5. Hire a graduate because they're used to working in teams
Almost all high schools and universities require the student to do group work. Group work is a powerful and effective way to learn and be ready to enter the workforce to work in teams. Team working is likely to become an important aspect of working life. Effective team working is essential for understanding group roles, communication, delegation and responsibility. With much of the world working in a remote and hybrid manner, recent graduates are well suited to teamwork and collaborating online using collaborative tools like Trello and Asana.
Every company needs a graduate pipeline strategy to attract and retain fresh thinking and cost-effective upcoming tech skills. The value they add to an organisation is clear. At RecruitAGraduate, we make it easy to find and hire the best graduates. We understand that your team may need more time or skills to sift through thousands of applications. Our professional recruitment team will do that for you. Contact us to hire a graduate.