Other than the usual career fairs and internship programs, there are many other ways to attract talented students, grab their attention and be interested in your company. Hiring and finding applicants is an important process, especially for students in their final year. However, there have been problems for many employers in which they aren’t able to find the talent that they need and this could be because of the lack of broadening your search as an employer.
If you haven’t considered other options, these are a few tips that could help you in finding the right students. Also make sure that you know your target audience and focus on helping them reach their best potential that could help with the future of your company and their career.
Know Who You Are
Just as students would have to introduce themselves during career fairs in a limited time and space, you should also be able to identify your company that would differentiate yourself from others without making it sound like you are selling yourself in a marketing campaign. Having a solid identity that sets you apart from others is a creative way to stand out and attract the right audience for you.
Bring Peers to Interact with Students
Whether your company is fairly known or not, one way to pique the interest of potential hires is to bring recent hires to share their experience and also to showcase the work and responsibilities students can get themselves into if they were to work there. Bringing your best people that are able to communicate and capture one’s attention would be a great way to show potential employees about the job.
- Most students would like to know what they’ll be getting into if they were to work for you. Having your people talk about their experiences and what it’s like to work at your company and the responsibilities would allow students to get an insight and see if they’re interested in that kind of work.
Go Where Students Are
Although you may be able to recruit students during career fairs, you are most likely to find students on the internet. The internet has become a great, efficient platform to communicate and interact with students that are seeking for a job. A lot of companies have invested their time in going online to showcase and deliver their message that could attract potential new employees.
- Using social media is another platform that is frequently used for fast and real-time interactions with potential students and employers. Through social media, you are able to target students based on what they’re interested in, what they are searching for and also what they talk about in real-time.
Make Application Process Easy and Engaging
Having a complicated and long application form is one way for Millennials to look away and find another job. Having an application form that is too heavy is not appealing and would rather having a process that is fast and easy. Another tip is that you shouldn’t wait for them to come to you, but you should also approach them back and encourage them to apply, especially after engaging and communicating with them online or after a career fair.
Provide Opportunities for Growth and Security
This mostly applies for start-up companies which may not be able to provide the long-term growth that students are looking for, discouraging students to apply. To attract students and graduates, focusing on the present can only go so far. These days, young people are more driven by opportunity to grow and learn more skills as well as find security for their future in the job that they’re applying for. Focusing on the future of potential hires, how they can grow in your company and maintaining a positive work environment is what millennials find valuable in their future career.
Host or Sponsor Students Events
There are many ways to stand out to students and hosting or sponsoring events is one of them as it has a great effect on grabbing the attention of students. By doing this you are able to work with the school and once the event takes place, you are also able to engage and interact with students. To come up with an event is not only beneficial for you to reach out to students but it can stimulate and encourage talented students to find their potential. Hosting or sponsoring events would also help with attracting and finding the right target audience for your company.
- Showcase Diversity Showing diversity and multiculturalism is quite a hot topic between Millennials. As an employer, it is important for you to showcase the diverse culture in the workplace as having a diverse and welcoming population is something students may take notice of when it comes to events and engagement. With many potential students coming from diverse backgrounds, it is important that you know how to reach out to them.
- Be Patient and Present Sometimes students need guidance during application process and you shouldn’t wait for them to come to you, but you could also go to them to give encouragement. Having an on-campus image can be a powerful tool in building relationships with others and giving interns and new hires experience that they feel familiar with. Being ever present on-campus can also lead to secondary publicity resulting from word of mouth by those that take interest in your company and know what you’re willing to provide for potential hires. Although this might take time, in the long run it may pay off during peak season of recruitment.
- Follow Up and Give Feedback Students have expressed that unresponsive employers is at the top of what frustrates them during recruiting process. Although it is quite impossible to respond to each applicant and give feedback, there are ways around it to let applicants feel appreciated and acknowledged by your team.
Experience, Inc. 10 Tips from College Career Services for Employers
Agrawal, S. 2014, How Companies Can Attract the Best College Talent
Huhman, H.R., 2014. 5 Surefire Ways to Attract College Talent
Pride, S. 2014, How to Recruit and Attract Savvy Students – Five Tips
