How Are You Reaching Out to New Graduates?
The COVID-19 crisis has changed the job market. It’s a rapidly shifting landscape at a time when new graduates should feel optimism for their future and ready to hit the ground running. It’s also an unusual time for employers who traditionally should be reaching out to students, interviewing, and laying the groundwork for a new crop of summer talent.
How can college students respond to this shifting landscape? How should employers find the best talent with the market is so heavily saturated with new graduates and experienced job seekers? This article will answer both questions.
Tips for College Students
While COVID-19 has shut down elements of the U.S. economy, the federal and state governments are doing their part to help individuals and businesses cope with this crisis. The good news is that there are signs the economy has begun reopening and soon-to-graduate college students may see a better job outlook soon. But there are companies hiring today, and college students should pay close attention to the following companies:
- Amazon
- CVS
- Kroger
- Lowes
- Microsoft
- Slack
- Whole Foods
Glassdoor also has a list of 60 companies hiring now.
While sending out a flurry of resumes is a generic response to an online advertisement, there is also a better way to get the word out about your candidacy. College students preparing for the job hunt should reach out to recruiters as the best resource for work after graduation. Recruiting firms are free conduits to some of the best jobs in the market. Recruiters work directly with employers (who pay their fees), and many times these professionals know of job openings well before they ever make it onto a job board. If you are a college graduate (or a soon to be graduate) seeking employment, click here to visit our free job board.
Tips for Employers
Employers seeking top college talent should increase their sourcing strategies. Job boards are the easiest ways to find talent, but that’s admittedly a little old school when it comes to finding top-quality candidates. Here are some steps to change your approach and remain competitive:
- Assess your hiring requirements. Are the skills listed for the job as accurate as possible? Is your hiring manager seeking that “purple squirrel,” which is a candidate so perfect that they don’t exist? What soft skills are more critical than the on-the-job skills that they will learn?
- Develop a sourcing strategy for the multi-channel. Don’t just place an ad. Instead, place an ad, go to a career fair, target multiple schools, and get your job requirements into the places where students frequent.
- Make sure the career site on your web page is reflective of the benefits and perks of the job. Does your career page reflect the culture of the organization? Is your application process suitable for a mobile phone? Look at the hoops you make candidates go through and ask yourself if you would spend the time manually entering your resume or jumping through some other hoop caused by outdated technology.
Finally, work with a recruiting team. Firms like The Custom Group of Companies specialize in a diverse pool of talent of all ages—including recent college graduates. If you have a staffing need, click here for help.
