10 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Graduate - Glassdoor for Employers
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10 Reasons Why You Should Hire a Graduate

Are you hoping to expand your team? You know that graduates are almost fighting for work after university, but would it be worthwhile for your company to hire one? Lizzi Hart of the Graduate Recruitment Bureau runs through the 10 reasons why hiring graduates can benefit your company. 

10 Reasons You Should Hire a Graduate

1. Graduates are keen to learn and progress.

If you're new to both a job and the working world in general, you're bound to be very keen to do your best. Recent figures even suggest that Millennials will be the first generation to earn less than their parents, so with the odds against them, working hard to impress will be more important to these employees than ever before. Plus, they've just left academia, so will be primed to learn even more in order to succeed.

2. Graduates will take a lower salary...

…in exchange for experience and training, of course. We're not talking about cheap labour here, but with little to no experience, they aren't expecting a huge wage. A competitive salary for a graduate within their industry will be enough. Anything higher will be more appealing, but with not much more cost to your company's payroll - something worth considering if you can't find the right people.

Related: How to Recruit & Retain Gen Z

3. They have a different outlook.

Younger generations will have different perspectives on life and will be able to contribute new, innovative and fresh ideas. Not to mention, they're likely to be more in touch with current trends, and have different views, which will help to inject a younger voice into your organisation and increase diversity.

4. A graduate is willing to adapt.

As this is their first job, they will want to impress. Don't think this means they can work a 60 hour week on a 40 hour contract, but they will be open to extra hours, new opportunities, and helping out in as many ways as possible. Plus, due to a probable lack of home commitments (in comparison to your more experienced colleagues), they will be more flexible with their free time and might be more able to attend an evening event at short notice or travel.

5. Graduates are a clean slate.

It's probably their first proper job and potentially their first experience of full-time office life. This means that you're able to teach them from the get-go how to work, and how to approach company issues, rather than trying to mould someone with pre-existing habits. When you hire a graduate, they are often referred to as a "blank canvas".

Related: 40 HR and Recruiting Stats for Today

6. A graduate will question the way things work.

Fresh graduates are likely to be inquisitive, and with their university studies still fresh in their minds, they'll be used to questioning how and why things work the way they do. This will push your company to question its existing (and potentially outdated or inefficient) approaches.

7. A graduate hire has market knowledge.

If your market happens to include younger generations, hiring a fresh graduate will gain you first-hand market knowledge. This will help your company to appeal to their peers, and understand more about how they operate, and what will grab their attention.

8. Graduates are more comfortable with technology.

Millennials in general, especially recent graduates, will be more comfortable with technology due to the ubiquity of tech during their youth.

Related: Gen Z - A Guide for Recruiters

9. They're probably used to multitasking.

Social media and the multiple communication channels that graduates and students are used to mean they're well-versed in multi-tasking. For example, my childhood involved: watching TV, chatting on MSN, playing games on my PC, "doing" homework and constantly updating my social media accounts - and mostly simultaneously. Want a multi-tasker? Hire a Millennial.

10. Graduates can have competitive (and impressive) backgrounds.

A degree alone is no longer enough in today's graduate market, so many students and graduates are building up their extra-curricular portfolio in order to stand out from the rest. If you choose to hire graduates and can offer an attractive job package, the candidates you hire will be very grateful for the work, and relieved to have found a job, especially a graduate one.

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