How work experience helps employers with graduate recruitment

There are many reasons why an employer would want to hire a graduate. They’re knowledgeable, enthusiastic and tech savvy; offer fresh perspectives on consumer and business behaviour and attitudes; fill the pipeline of an ageing workforce; and help plug skills gaps, both today and for the uncertain future of big data, AI, and the next industrial revolution.

Providing work experience offers a solution to ease your recruitment process. Research from the latest High Fliers confirms that employers see placements and internships as a way of sourcing candidates before they graduate, and allows students the chance to prove their abilities.

But snapping up graduates in the early stages of their job hunt can often seem like a scramble for rare talent. And with many industrial sectors and firms facing pressures from competitors and emerging disrupters, it is hard to stay ahead of the game.

So how can employers operate in this market?

You need a head start

Get in early and build positive relationships though creating positive experiences. Members of this generation operate through social media, so the more you engage with them, the more effective will be the viral messaging to support your programme.

Increase your brand awareness

Offering work experience opportunities to ‘soon to be’ graduates is a great way to expose students to your company’s brand. Giving the next generation of workers a first look at what a career in your industry entails, and offering them a quality experience, will help create real advocates for your company’s mission and values. These advocates may become future employees and customers.

Spark and shape

Graduates are at the beginning of their career and yet to develop deeply-ingrained work habits. Creating an interactive experience which they find exciting, insightful and engaging can spark their interest within your sector, and most importantly within your company. But also, you can shape their understanding of what they need to build a career and what skills and attributes they’ll need to contribute and succeed.

Inspire loyalty

Once the placement is complete, you may have potentially found an ideal candidate for a permanent role within your workforce. Candidates are more likely to accept a graduate position where they have familiarity and knowledge, rather than a role which is unknown.

Find the best candidate

Even though there are many graduates entering the job market, it is vital to find the best candidates to match with your business’s needs. Placer is a revolutionary matchmaking platform that helps you beat the competition in the race for talent. Placer sources talent for all positions including hard-to-fit roles, by pairing students with employers based on their interests, skills, and attributes. It helps solve diversity challenges and gives you access to the widest pool of emerging talent. Placer is a one-stop shop for the future employees of your business.

David Docherty is Chairman of Placer and CEO of the National Centre for Universities and Business.