What Attracts a Graduate to Your Company

Published December 1, 2014 | By martyn

Job adverts for graduates written by small businesses so often draw a blank. But why?

What is the missing ingredient that attracts a graduate to your company?

Students are keen to join a small business, if the role advertised was attractive. There isn’t a lack of decent students.

Your advert needs to appeal to the qualities they seek from a small business and their career.

The springboard for their career

Telling them you can be the first stepping stone in a career which may lie elsewhere probably goes against your instincts.

Without exposure to smaller businesses, many students believe their best career lies with a large company.

However after taking on a graduate, smaller companies don’t struggle to retain those they want to keep in their company.

Consider Internships

It gives a chance to see if they are a good fit

If you’re not sure about the risk of taking on a graduate on full time, think about offering internships.

This allows a graduate to work for you on a project for a fixed period. It gives a chance to see if they are a good fit before offering a full time role.

Whilst larger companies offer graduate schemes, students are looking out for smaller companies to be offering internships.

Continued training and learning

Taking on a graduate involves bridging the gap from academic life to working life. They have spent 3 or more years learning and developing their knowledge. It is something they’re proud of and naturally want to build on.

They will be attracted to a company that offers ongoing training & development to draw and build on their knowledge.

Applying the techniques for recruiting a non graduate will draw a blank. Graduates haven’t fully made the transition to working life and still have one foot in a learning environment. Treat the recruitment of them differently and it’s likely to yield a better result.