Campus Recruitment is a specialty unto itself within recruitment circles. Many large organizations have programs devoted to developing relationships with students and new graduates as one of their target talent pools.
Blu Ivy Group took some time to sit down with Rebecca Kalison, the President of the Ryerson HR Student Association. We wanted to find out what organizations could do to ensure their employer brand resonates with today’s students. We want to thank Rebecca for sharing her insights on what students are looking for in a potential employer:
How has what students look for changed over the last three years?
Over the last three years, students have been moving away from preferring a well-established organization towards an organization that could provide them with a steeper learning curve. Students recognize that the opportunity to work for a “start up” over the summer or for a work term could provide more professional growth. Students today are moving away from evaluating an opportunity based on the prestige of the company as a whole, and are looking at the responsibilities of the position. Students today really value a more relaxed work environment, where they are encouraged to express themselves and their ideas; the opportunity to grow their skills and experience by being assigned different projects; an opportunity to travel.
How are campus recruitment initiatives changing?
Career fairs are really becoming a thing of the past. For the majority of companies that still attend career fairs, almost all of the information they provide is already provided online. Additionally, organizations no longer use this as an opportunity to collect applications or resumes – but direct students to fill out online information. It does make the traditional event seem a bit pointless.
A really effective way that some companies have been reaching out is by hosting their own “meet and greet” event. The organization hosts an evening where current employees and the students can get together and network. This prevents students from waiting in a lineup to receive information that is already online, and they are now able to build a relationship with recruiters and understand a bit more about the organization.
An even more innovative initiative that can be seen across the country, are case competitions. Companies take the time to present a real issue as a case study to competing teams from various universities. They bring in their management to represent the judging panel. This works well for many reasons; it certainly helps students to see what the company is really going through, it provides exposure to real-world situations and real-world learning, it introduces the students to the company culture and management team’s style, and it helps the management and recruiters to see if the students would be a good fit. It can even help the employer with current issues that they are facing.
What do you think employers need to hear about what is not working in their current campus recruitment programs?
The most common complaints are about career fairs and online application processes. Students feel as if they are one among thousands – nameless and faceless – with no relationship to the company. To have a real impact, employers should invest their time and money on hosting events where students can come out and spend time on site to learn about the company, meet employees, and see what they really do. This helps to give both sides a realistic preview of what working with the company might be like and prevent students from feeling as if they have been misled, once they are in the role.
How do you think organizations will be better designed in future to become better workplaces and drive more engaged employee cultures?
I think organizations will become more organic, have flatter organizational structures, and more open communication. In the end, this really helps ensure that communication is an effective two-way street. Encouraging employees to voice their ideas will help drive improvements and innovation. It’s important that management is able to inspire and promote intellectual stimulation within their organization to build employee engagement.
Regardless of the pay or benefits, I would personally be drawn to work for an organization where I am challenged daily to be creative, see the opportunity to grow and see my values aligned with the organizations’.