READ TIME – 7 MINUTES
The graduate talent pool is one brimming with potential. A new wave of freshly qualified individuals jump from university to full-time work each year.
The problem these groups face is that, surprisingly, some businesses do not want to work with graduate talent. Many management teams look for experienced individuals who can *waltz* into a job and immediately take charge of the reigns.
Whilst this approach to recruitment may bring some immediate short-term success, it can prove to be very costly long-term. Highly qualified and experienced workers can take longer to come by, whereas people in the graduate talent pool are chomping at the bit to prove their worth and take their first big step into employment.
At AvA-V, we encourage our clients to look beyond experience and instead focus on potential. Taking a chance on a new group of employees can reap rich rewards for business owners.
Here’s AvA-V’s very own Craig explaining why YOU should consider hiring Graduate talent.
Graduates are Adaptable and can be Moulded to your Liking
A lack of experience can often be seen as a stumbling block when hiring fresh talent, but this SHOULD be spun into a positive for every business.
A lack of experience means your potential candidates don’t have previous strategies, plans or ways of working. This means that they won’t be stuck in a routine from their previous role.
Experienced candidates who have worked in your industry usually have a set way of doing things, and they may not be willing to adapt their approach to the way that your business does things. Candidates in the graduate talent pool do not have a pre-set way of working. As such, they can be moulded perfectly for your needs.
Providing graduate talent with training and support is a cheaper and often faster way of hiring quality, rather than trying to train an experienced candidate to change their ways.
Graduates are a Financial Diamond
Nobody wants to earn less than what they are worth, but graduates are the most likely out of any group to be flexible in their salary negotiations.
The Graduate Outcomes report produced by HESA (Higher Education Statistic Agency) reports that the current average UK graduate salary is just over £24,000.
With little/no experience, graduates don’t leave university expecting the big bucks. They understand it will take time, hard work and dedication to reach their dream salary. They may also sacrifice some pay for training and experience – a win-win for you!
Graduates can also make an impact on your company’s profit increase. Whilst it may take some time and money to train candidates in the graduate talent pool, they can soon become valuable assets to your business.
A common stereotype of graduate hiring is the worry that they will receive training and leave, creating a massive dent in your company’s finances.
Stats show that this is false.
According to a 2020 study conducted by ISE, 57% of graduates across all sectors stayed at the same company for 5 years or more. This retention rate should help employers feel more comfortable exploring the graduate talent pool. Training them now can save your business money in the future.
Sew the seeds now so you can reap the rewards later.
Graduates are Keen Learners who want to Know More
Stepping out of the comfort of education and into the working world is a big transition. Whilst we may learn and gain lots of knowledge at university, we may sometimes be misguided when it comes to professional skills. There is so much that you can teach candidates in the graduate talent pool!
Graduates new to the working world will be keen to impress their managers from the offset.
Graduates will still have their education heads screwed on, so there is never a better time to teach a group of potential employees the ins and outs, dos and don’ts of your business. They are also more likely to be open to ideas and alter how they do things to fit the needs of your business.
Training courses and graduate programmes are fantastic ways of providing new employees with invaluable skills. They can help bridge the gap between your new and experienced employees. Moreover, they may even gain knowledge that will help those around them develop further!
AvA-V has a dedicated team of trainers who will create training packages tailor-made to your needs. If you’re considering plucking employees from the graduate talent pool, we can provide a bespoke 7-star service to get your graduates up to scratch.
Graduates have Transferrable Skills
Graduates learn a lot of skills from universities outside of their respective courses. Students learn life skills that help them develop as people.
Whilst learning how to cook, clean and wake up before 10 am are all valuable life skills, higher education can also teach graduates business and practical skills, including:
- Time management
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Essay writing
- Research and planning
- Plagiarism and copyright
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students have also become self-motivated and responsible for finding alternate ways to source learning material. These changes have increased their ability to respond to change and adapt to any scenario.
These are skills that can be difficult to teach, so to have candidates from the graduate talent pool that already have these skillsets is vital for business growth and development.
You can Future-Proof your Business with the Graduate Talent Pool
If you are a business facing an ageing workforce and a fluctuation of retirements is on the horizon, you may be worried about what the future holds.
How are you going to replace all of those bodies? Hiring experienced candidates take time and can be a costly process!
As we’ve already discussed, hiring from the graduate talent pool is a cheaper and more cost-effective way to bring new talent on board. It also provides you with the opportunity of starting new employees at the same time.
If you have multiple retirements on the horizon, why wouldn’t you onboard lots of people to replace them?
By outlining a career path for your graduates, you can promote them with the right mix of training and dedication. If supported properly, your graduate candidates have the potential to progress their careers while staying loyal to the business.
AvA-V can help you find the correct people by conducting group campaigns if you want to hire multiple candidates from the graduate talent pool. We can offer your business a combined recruitment and training package to ensure potential employees are ready for any challenges they may face.
So I Should start Hiring from the Graduate Talent Pool?
Absolutely!
Not only is graduate talent readily available, but it is also waiting to show what it can do for you!
Recruiting graduate talent offers valuable benefits for businesses of all sizes, from small start-ups to established global brands. Hiring from the graduate talent pool is an effective way of diversifying both your team and your approach to work. Getting in a fresh pair of eyes and some newly informed opinions may be what your business needs to progress!
Think of the graduate talent pool as a blank canvas. They can easily embed into your business and painted the way that best suits your business needs.
University students are challenged to think and dream big; why wouldn’t you want someone with aspirations to help you achieve yours?
We champion the use of the graduate talent pool at AvA-V. We recruit for many graduate-based roles as we believe it provides businesses with success and longevity.
Don’t waste time with drawn-out hires – let AvA-V uncover your next prospects!