Covid 19 has had a massive impact on the availability of graduate jobs as well as on the application process.
Although talk of staff shortages in recent months has given the impression that it should be easy to find work, young people are “often left at the back of the queue” as employers favour more experienced workers. Although the number of student internships and work placements offered by employers increased in 2021, there has been a slowdown in graduate hiring, with competition for graduate jobs hitting record high.
The relationship between universities and SME’s is not as strong compared with larger companies which can lead to small companies not being as aware of the value of hiring graduates.
So, why hire graduates?
- Drive and motivation – graduates enter the labour market with a fresh set of skills and ambition. These can help drive a small business forward at a much faster rate as they are more open to new opportunities and will do much more to gain new experiences.
- Flexibility and transferrable skills – a lot of graduates don’t follow a linear path, meaning they will choose professions not directly related with their degree. This will require thinking outside the box and transferring the variety of soft skills which they have learnt during their degree.
- Adaptable – graduates will usually jump on anything and won’t be afraid of change. This will help them adapt to the business and grow in their role. This will prove especially useful in situations like the ones caused by Covid-19 where flexibility and adaptability have been essential.
- Good for growth on a budget – graduates with a small amount of work experience are willing to compromise on a high salary for more training opportunities which can strengthen their skillset. This could be a more cost-effective option which will reward your business in the long run.
Recruiting graduates can be quite challenging. Some points to consider which can help you recruit graduates include changing the employee value proposition to make it more attractive, carefully reviewing the recruitment language and message or embracing a hybrid working style which offers greater flexibility.
If you need more human resources in your business, we strongly recommend you look at partnering with a local university and recruiting bright, hungry, coachable graduates into your business.
