Supporting the students

Uploaded

12th May 2020

Read time

3 minutes

Last week, we shared our pointers for engaging future talent digitally during the crisis. Here’s a summary of what you can do.

  • Be visible across social media channels.
  • Allow potential candidates the ability to interact with a wide range of employees digitally through takeovers or an online mentoring scheme.
  • Start looking forward to the autumn term! University Careers Services are still open and taking bookings for events and careers fairs. A great option though is to leverage the peer to peer influence of students – a quick and easy way to attract them digitally.

You could do this by hiring Campus Ambassadors to attract your 2021 cohort digitally, through the existing student networks they have on campus or through societies. Many uni societies have already completed their committees for 2020/21. Therefore, they’re able to build their digital outreach and promote your opportunities to the right students.

  • Continue with your early talent activity. Those businesses who continue to support now will be remembered.
  • Be clear about your hiring plans. The most attractive prospect right now is certainty, and it will breed attraction.
  • Innovate in turning F2F events digital.

How you can market yourself as an employer of choice

Be visible and provide an honest picture. Keep interns who would have joined you this summer updated with emails and calls.

For graduates, ensure a good on-boarding process that allows new intakes to build relationships with people digitally. Student influence is a powerful tool, and by keeping your current cohort engaged, they’ll no doubt share back with their friends and peers how you have taken the time to check in.

The human approach

  • Show empathy and understanding for the graduates.
  • Clarity & certainty.
  • Always hard, now even harder to connect
  • Continue to foster student/teacher relationships, as they really need the support right now.
  • There is still a need for digital early career activity within schools.
  • If you’re an educator, reach out to usand we can support you through this.
  • When things return to normal, the companies that helped the schools will be at the front of the queue. Certainly, what you do now will boost your future school relationships. Invest in them and you’ll really reap the benefits.

How employers can maintain engagement with candidates

It’s important to create a sense of belonging with the incoming cohort. An efficient way to do this is to utilise tech; it’s a very quick and easy way to digitise belonging. It provides young people with the opportunity to talk to employees internally, and with their peers who will join them on a grad scheme. Consequently, your renege rate will be low, and your talent will feel valued.

What young people need from their future employers

Recent studies show that graduates remain optimistic but anxious about starting their careers. Although this is normal, the current climate has increased levels of anxiety and young people are looking for reassurance in uncertain times.

As an employer, you can ease their worry with:

  • Engagement
  • Clear communications and your stance around grades
  • Empathy
  • Certainty
  • Providing a sense of belonging

‘To find out more about how we can help you with implementing any of the above, get in touch