5 reasons to hire a graduate this summer

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With thousands of new graduates swapping university for the workplace this summer, there’s plenty of choice if you want to recruit first jobbers.

Of course, there are many reasons why young people in general make great employees. They tend to be keen, energetic and enthusiastic, and can bring a fresh dynamic and perspective to the workplace. As new starters are open to new ideas and ways of working you can ‘mould’ them to what your business needs.

Plus, this generation has grown up with smartphones, social media and technology. With businesses needing to exploit a digital-first world in order to survive and thrive, hiring people with innate aptitude for technology seems like a no-brainer.

But why look to recruit recent graduates, in particular? Let’s take a look at some of the benefits they can bring to your business.

1 They have transferable skills

Yes, students gain a degree at the end of a three- or four-year course. But while they’ve been learning about a subject in far greater depth, they’ve also been gathering a range of core skills that are an asset in the workplace - whether that’s carrying out research and solving problems, or collaborating on projects and meeting deadlines.

2 They have a learning mindset

Studying for a degree means developing the capacity to absorb a large amount of information quickly. Recent graduates will still have this learning mindset, and will be ready to apply this at work - which will make them easy to train quickly and help them settle into a new role.

3 They have up-to-date knowledge

Smart companies make sure that employees keep their knowledge and skills relevant in their field with professional development.

And although decades of experience are invaluable in the workplace, many of today’s graduates have a head start in that they may already have current knowledge at their fingertips - particularly if they’ve done vocational degrees and are familiar with up-to-date industry success stories and business models.

4 They question the way things are done

Anyone who’s just starting out in their career can bring a fresh perspective to a company, especially as they won’t have become resigned to the way things are done elsewhere.

This is especially so for recent graduates. They’ll have learned to question and analyse as part of their studies, which means they could be able to spot better ways to do things. Can your business afford to be without innovative thinkers?

5 They don’t expect a high starting salary

Let’s face it: Businesses have to look after the bottom line. Someone who’s recently left university is less expensive to hire than an experienced employee. Although graduates (and young people in general) may settle for a lower salary, it’s on the understanding that they’ll get the training and experience to take them to the next step in their career.

At HR GO, we see this every day in our work helping clients find first jobbers to add to their workforce. Savvy employers recognise the benefits fresh graduates can bring, and offer the right company culture and workplace benefits to keep them engaged and hopefully with them in the long term.