You might wonder why graduate recruiters set such high standards and what they truly mean by “Exceptional.” Understanding the rationale behind these expectations can help you better position yourself in the competitive graduate job market. Simply put, hiring fresh graduates is risky business. Hiring mistakes are very costly. With thousands of new grads entering the job market each year, employers are keen to onboard the best candidates with clear potential to thrive.
Hiring graduates is a risky investment – failed hires are expensive
Finding the right person for the job is a long and expensive process for companies. If they use a recruitment agency, they will have to pay 10%-33% of your annual salary for the agency’s services – usually over £1000.
Imagine that you are offered a salary of £30,000 per annum. As soon as you are hired, your employer will have to pay the recruitment agency £3,000 or more, with the possibility that you may not like the job and leave after three months. How can they avoid this? By hand-picking candidates that come across as reliable, trustworthy and able to fit well with the attitude of the company.
If the company does the recruiting themselves, it’s just as expensive and much more time-consuming. A job description needs to be thought about and written in a way that ensures the right people apply. The advert also has to be displayed in the right places and paid for.
Essentially, employers need the top graduates to see their vacancies.
As soon as a job advertisement is placed, CVs start flooding in. Time and people need to be allocated to look through them. But these people are few in number and short on time. It is really important that you grab their attention and get to the point quickly.
To minimise the risk of a failed hire, hiring managers are trained rigorously on how to interview candidates and want grads who not only have the necessary skills and qualifications but also fit well with the company culture and show potential for long-term growth.
The Hiring Process Takes Time
Recruiting is an inherently time-consuming process that requires a significant investment of business hours and team member involvement.
The journey from sourcing candidates to onboarding new hires involves multiple stages, each demanding careful attention and coordination. Team members need to allocate time for reviewing applications, conducting interviews, and participating in hiring decision meetings, all of which must be scheduled during regular business hours to ensure accessibility and availability.
This process also includes background checks, reference calls, and negotiating job offers, each step contributing to the overall time required to successfully recruit and integrate new talent into the organisation.
Naturally, with the comprehensive graduate recruitment process, companies carefully process applications to identify exceptional graduates.
Exceptional Graduates are in high demand
Hiring managers seek exceptional graduates because companies are in a constant race to secure top talent, knowing that the best and brightest individuals drive innovation, efficiency, and competitive advantage.
Attracting exceptional graduates ensures that these high-calibre professionals contribute to the company’s success and prevent their talents from bolstering competitors.
By securing top talent, companies not only enhance their own capabilities but also strategically limit the resources available to their rivals. This talent acquisition is crucial in maintaining a leading edge in the market, fostering growth, and achieving long-term strategic goals, making the recruitment of outstanding graduates a top priority for forward-thinking organisations.
Exceptional graduates not only have a stellar academic record, but they also possess key employability skills demonstrated and evidenced by work experience.
Summary
Employers look for candidates who come across as reliable, trustworthy and able to fit in well with the culture of the company.
When your CV and cover letter are being read, you don’t get second chances – and you don’t get much time.
Grab their attention and stand out.
Read: From Clicks To Hires: Maximizing Social Media For HR Agencies
Featured image by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels
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