Organisations have traditionally relied on graduate talent to build on their technical capabilities, bring new ideas and innovation, and develop future leaders. Graduates are enthusiastic to begin their career journeys and learn. This talent demographic is a cost-effective solution to bring new skills into your organisation.

With the economy continuing to strengthen, many organisations are placing a renewed focus on their graduate programmes. Many top graduates receive multiple job offers before completing their degrees! This makes for an increasingly competitive graduate talent marketplace, causing employers to confront the challenge of how to attract top talent. 

Here are a few strategies you can put in place to attract more of the best graduate talent through your recruitment advertisement and, most importantly, encourage them to accept your offer over a competitor’s.

1. Target the right graduates

Not every graduate will be the right fit for your organisation. While most degrees are transferable, if you’re hiring for a graduate chemist, you’ll need those with the right qualifications. Create a profile for your ideal candidate, complete with degree subject(s), strengths, interests and skill sets. 

Then, target your recruitment advertisement. Advertising with precision is far more effective than an ambiguous approach. Speak to their interests, use LinkedIn’ targeted search, target specific universities that train students with the skills you’re looking for. 

2. Articulate progression and pathways to success

Explain in your recruitment advertisement how your role contributes to your organisation’s overall mission and values. Graduates often understand that they will begin at the bottom of the proverbial ‘pile’ and that they’ll need to put in work to progress. However, by stating how their role contributes value, or that you can offer opportunities to progress in their career, you will make your offer more attractive and secure more high-quality applications. 

Perhaps you have a training platform that allows them to become a team leader or manager within a couple of years. Maybe, you have a fast track option they can apply for. Regardless of how the candidate will start their career, by providing progression opportunities and ways they can add value will not only attract them, but retain them through loyalty.

3. Offer great benefits

Most recent graduates are Millennials and Gen Zers; these generations value a work/life balance and often search for this when looking for roles. CNBC reported that 76% of millennials would take a pay cut if their employer offered flexible working. So, offering perks that make your organisation look better than your competitors’ is going to make you more attractive to graduates. 

While remuneration packages are important, pay isn’t everything though. Canva made it to the number one spot on 2018’s best place to work list for their employee-focused workplace with attractive benefits. Many graduates look for opportunities with flexible working, travel opportunities and the ability to socialise with their colleagues at regular events. Canva also offers its colleagues free gym memberships, food incentives and regularly celebrates top performers to encourage greater productivity and workplace morale. 

4. Show off the great things about your organisation’s ethos and culture

Utilising social media as part of your employer branding strategy is incredibly important when looking to attract graduates to your role. It doesn’t matter whether your brand is well known or not, the candidate will most likely research your company and investigate your social media channels. 

Use social media to promote the great things about your organisation using employee-generated content. Perhaps you’ve had an excellent month in sales and are promoting the work of some star performers; or some employees are taking on a big challenge in support of your partner charity. Whatever the case, sharing your good news stories and celebrating employees is going to give a great impression of your company.

Overall, be strategic. If you’re recruiting graduates then you need a graduate hiring strategy. Like an employee value proposition, ensure you have a graduate value proposition and sell it! 

Strategically planning your graduate recruitment campaigns prior to graduation periods is going to work in your favour. Yes, there’s a lot of competition, but there are also lots of graduates. Plan strategically to become a contender in competing for, attracting and converting top graduate talent.

Nikita Thorne is an Oxford-based digital marketer and writer. After completing a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Film & Theatre from the University of Reading followed by a six-month internship in marketing, Nikita has been travelling the world.

While temping as a Content Producer at Employment Office in Brisbane, she gained expertise in recruitment marketing, writing articles and coordinating webinars on multiple recruitment marketing subjects.