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We are too familiar with the hiring paradox. In order to gain our first ever “entry level” job, we need to list job experiences in order to make ourselves an actually viable candidate. How does this work? This obstacle is extremely prevalent for recent college graduates who have spent the past four years of their life studying at an institution. When gaining their first job, they are pigeonholed into specific job titles and have limited access to opportunities than they deserve due to their skills or previous experiences.
As job-seeking talents, college recruiting is a great vehicle to show that you are an ambitious individual who is willing to learn, gain experience, and earn your first paycheck.
Being a recruit can be especially difficult because of the many unknown variables — you don’t always know what a recruiter is looking for and how to differentiate yourself. How does an applicant stand out from an influx of resumes, especially if they’re just entering real world professions?
Business News Daily shared a few tips and tricks that recruiters consider when hiring college graduates. Taking the tips that companies are using to up their recruiting game, we have distilled some tips that talents can do on their end to improve their profile. These key pointers can help you get ahead and gain a glimpse into the inner workings of the latest strategies in college recruiting.
While age and experience can go hand in hand in today’s job market, there are many other components that can determine if a talent could exhibit longevity and growth at the company. Aside from examining a candidate’s technical prowess and hard skills, recruiters are also looking for a model work-culture fit.
However, this suitability is not limited to an age range. With Google implementing the Google Hire recruiting software and other companies offering automated chatbots, recruiting is moving to streamline talent, resumes, and logistics of the hiring process with tech. Company recruiting is changing — specifically changing to accommodate Generation Z.
But what does this mean for the college graduate? This means that recruiters are a lot more open-minded and are looking for you to put yourself out there, even if you’re in your twenties. Keep in mind that the wider the age range, the more candidates to compete with!
Network — go to the job fair and virtual career events. As much as you may like or dislike hearing it, growing and nurturing relationships with your college through peers, professors, and student organizations can give your opportunity database more breadth. Establishing a healthy and extensive network allows talent to gain access to job openings and connections that may not be as publicized or sought after.
From the recruiter perspective, it is easiest to start with college organizations they are familiar with, or have an already established reputation for producing well educated and highly skilled candidates. In other words, some college groups are a readily accessible audience for recruiters — being a part of those targeted groups can lead to you being at the very top of their scouting list.
Nowadays, companies are looking to boast more than accessory job titles and textbook duties. According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2018 employee benefits report, 34% of organizations increased their exclusive worker offerings in the last 12 months in order to retain employees and attract job-seekers. The perks of working at big name companies can grab your attention as they serve as incentives for job-seekers to apply, such as the Googleplex amenities and Facebook cafeterias. While recruiters are bending over backwards to show you the worker advantages, they are also looking for talents that reciprocate company interest and values.
They know you are looking for financial stability in any job. However, company culture and work environment also play a big role in the type of candidates that actually make it to the final round. Showing that you have researched the company culture and acknowledge the efforts the company has taken to reinforce its values during the interview can make a lasting impression.
Beyond your own achievements, showcasing what makes you unique can make you more memorable and interesting which can help you stand out and build a connection with the company.
As a last note: college graduate or not, with today’s zoom-isphere and more remote opportunities, it’s time to expand your horizons to jobs farther away and around the world. Since recruiters are also looking to expand their search, a candidate that they may not typically consider due to geographical location is now a potential talent.
These are some of the ways that recruiters are changing the hiring landscape in terms of colleges. Regardless if you are being recruited directly on your college campus or later in your life, putting an emphasis on your own skills, stories, and self will always increase your chances of landing your dream job and excelling in your career.
To gain more of an insider look in the college recruitment perspective, Enrole invited Jerry Lee, COO of Wonsulting and Ex-Senior Strategy and Operations Manager at Google.
In our third episode of our podcast Redefining Recruiting, Jerry talks about his insight on the opportunity gap in recruiting as a first generation college student from a non-traditional background, as well as finding his voice in the congested job market. As a former job-seeker who has experienced both hiring successes and rejections, Jerry is a seasoned veteran in the college recruitment process.
Listen to Jerry Lee’s insights on Redefining Recruiting with Enrole, hosted by Jasmine Lu and Alex Zhang.
