It can be tempting to hire an experienced individual over a recent grad, albeit even someone with minimal experience. But before you make your final decision, you might find that recent grads can add valuable attributes to your company, while also giving them a chance for a first-time opportunity in a career.
For employers, finding great new grads to add to the team is essential. New grads are a tremendous resource for companies because of their enthusiasm for the industry, their ability to learn useful job skills quickly and their drive to succeed.
Here are four reasons to consider hiring a recent grad instead of a more experienced candidate:
1. They’ll have fresh knowledge and skills.
Hiring a recent grad can help your company see things from a fresh perspective and keep an open mind. Recent college grads come with new ideas, insights and approaches to problems that can benefit your company as a whole. This can help you continue to stay innovative and be less likely to fall into outdated practices or get stuck in a rut. They can also bring a unique sense of curiosity, asking questions you may not know the answer to or have to consider.
2. You’ll help build their confidence and skillset early on in their career.
Recent grads may be lacking the confidence and skills needed in the workplace after spending time in school. Hiring a recent grad gives you the chance to help build those skills and develop their confidence early on in their career. You may even be able to send them back to school or allow them to attend training programs so that they continue learning while working with you, which can benefit both of you in the long run. In turn, this can help create loyalty which may improve your retention rate.
3. They are willing to go above and beyond.
New college graduates are adaptable and will take the initiative to learn what you need them to do. If you want someone who can come in on day one and immediately hit the ground running, don’t count out new grads just yet. They are willing to learn everything from your industry-specific lingo to how your company operates as a whole. And if you don’t have time to teach them everything they need to know, they’re smart enough to figure it out on their own!
4. Willingness to learn and train.
While a more experienced employee understands the basics of his job, many recent graduates have had internships or experience working in the field they want to work in. This means that they have been exposed to real-world scenarios and will have learned from them. They will be eager to apply these skills in the workplace and are willing to learn any new skills that you may require of them. Hiring a recent grad also means they won’t be set in their ways, so you can train them in your own company culture. This also creates an environment where there’s interest in learning from both the employer and employee.
In the end, there are plenty of benefits to having a recent grad join your business. Access to new ideas and an eagerness to learn new skills can greatly benefit your workforce. Want to learn how we can help add to your workforce? Contact The Reserves Network today!