How to Effectively Select the Best of the Best Graduates!

All companies have varying demands and some candidates will be more suitable for you than the next company, and that is why you need a selection process that caters to your requirements, while also taking steps that will attract Gen Z!

Selection strategies have transformed over time and will continue to as industry demands change. Simply scanning through application forms and holding an interview is no longer effective, and that is why now is the best time to grasp how to understand current graduate’s abilities.

Read on to find out how you can find the best of the best graduates while sieving through your applications….

Now of course, to some extent, work experience is desirable and has its advantages. It gives you a clear indication and a sense of confidence in what your new hire could potentially do. Ultimately, it decreases the risk factor of your selection.
However, experience isn’t everything, as skills can be developed over time if a candidate is willing to work hard – Which is a significant motive to hire someone. Think, you won’t have to spend time undoing their previous bad habits or routine… You can start a fresh and teach them the way you do things. Additionally, graduates have spent the last few years studying and finding themselves as people, so give them a break when it comes to years of experience, as this isn’t achievable.

Instead of experience, or even their academic achievements, get to know them and their personal qualities… Hiring someone who is motivated and hungry to learn with little experience, is greater than someone with experience but little determination and vision.
Of course, this won’t work for every company or role, but for most entry-level opportunities, personal characteristics should outweigh any part-time job.

Prior to meeting your candidates, one way you can get to know them a little is through their social media platforms. This is a commonly used tool in the recruitment industry and provides efficient and effective results when getting to know someone’s personality and history.

From a skill set side of things, if you’re looking for someone in the IT/Digital marketing world, you’ll be able to use their social media platforms and activity to gauge their level of experience. Additionally, if your role consists of using networking and communication skills, have a quick look at their LinkedIn profile and how they communicate with their connections in a professional manner.

One of the best ways you can make judgement on your applicants is to request a portfolio of relevant work. This can be anything from a blog to a snippet of their design skills – Whatever industry you’re in, there will be some form of task your candidates can complete.
This is one of the most efficient and effective ways to gain an understanding of whether someone is ideal for your role requirements.

One of the most vital factors hiring managers normally take into consideration is the cultural alignment candidates have. Although this can take some time to fully understand, it’s an element to take into consideration while you’re filtering through potential hires.

The best way you can identify whether there is an alignment is through face to face workplace involvement. Now it wouldn’t be effective to do this with every single applicant, however, if you’re struggling to select between a few similar candidates, finding the best personality fit will support you in your decision. Click here to find the best interview questions to ask if you’re measuring cultural suitability.

After spending time searching through and narrowing down your best applicants, now it’s time to get in front of them and progress the application process. Now if you’re just looking to fill your position, go ahead and hold a generic interview, however, if you’re looking for the best of the best, you need to come up with creative strategies.

Don’t just sit them down in a room and direct a few questions at them about their suitability…. Get to know them, get them to meet the team, and maybe even give them a challenge to complete.

A recent trend has emerged in the recruitment process where employers are holding escape room tests or professional speed dating session to fully get to know their potential hires. I would highly recommend this strategy as you’ll not only see your candidate’s performance in certain applicable situations, you’re also thinking outside the box which will stand out to current graduates.
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If you’re looking to just fill your role quickly then this article isn’t for you – however, if you’re looking to find the best graduates out there to become a strong part of your team long-term, the above selection steps are advised.

Graduates are difficult ones to read, however, once you understand them, you’ll want to keep attracting them!

If you need any support in finding reliable, highly skilled graduates, contact us on [email protected] or follow our Twitter feed on @ITgrads