Imagine the scene, a large room on campus shining with the bright lights of an employer’s exhibition stand vying to attract the attention of hundreds of students wandering around a Careers Fair. This will be the reality throughout October and November at UK universities as employers swarm on campus for the annual `Milkround` season. On average, employers will target fifteen universities to meet students in the `war for talent`.
Students create memorable impressions in many ways. But they are also somewhat predictable and always ask two questions when meeting employers in this scenario “what type of graduate are you looking for?” and “how many jobs do you have available?” On the surface, these appear to be sensible questions but further analysis exposes the vulnerability of the undergraduate student.
Let`s review both questions to explain…
So, what type of student does an employer look for? There are many answers to this question – an employer may require good interpersonal skills, a team player, a self-motivator, someone who is numerate, analytical or able to investigate problems and find solutions, the list goes on. My response to this question was to invite applications from those who can demonstrate a `differential`. Without sounding disrespectful, I could recruit students possessing the skills listed above in abundance. I was looking for someone who was able to stand out from the crowd. Someone who can demonstrate their differential. This graduate has that little bit of magic that suggests they have the potential to add value in the organisation.
When confronted with my response, the majority of students presented a blank expression, politely thanked me for my time and moved onto the neighbouring stand, often looking back over their shoulder in bewilderment! For others they would embrace the point of difference and engage accordingly. These were the students I wanted to meet.
The question of vacancies also surprised me. Over time, it occurred to me that students genuinely hold the belief that it is easier to be offered a role by an organisation who have more vacancies available. It may be more probable but I’m doubtful that it will be easier. Why would an organisation hiring 100 graduates amend their standards to fill vacancy one compared with vacancy one hundred? My answer to this response was to challenge the candidate to focus on just one application – their own! It simply didn’t matter how many vacancies or applications were received. It is far more important that the candidate submits the strongest application their ability allows. The rest will take care of itself.
Why are these points important?
The reality is that there are approximately 400,000 students graduating from UK universities and entering the jobs market each year. Employers offer c.40,000 graduate jobs. My definition of a graduate job is an accelerated development programme – a talent pipeline that presents the graduate with many challenges and placements, but offers a robust career management journey resulting in the reward of a senior level appointment within 6-10 years of joining the organisation. This should not be confused with jobs that can be fulfilled by graduates.
So, with 40,000 graduate job vacancies; supply clearly outstrips demand by a ratio of 1:10. This is one reason why a graduate employer sets high standards to attract the strongest talent possible for their organisation. This doesn’t necessarily mean the most academically gifted students but ones who can demonstrate the value they will offer and able to effectively differentiate themselves.
I often challenge students during my workshops to compare applying for a job to a race or competition. Many graduate recruiters will attract thousands of applications from candidates to fulfil their graduate roles. In many cases, it is the survival of the fittest. What steps will an athlete take during training to pass through the winning tape first? What steps will a candidate take during the application process to receive an offer from an employer?
Last year, I was involved in screening c.6000 applications for a graduate programme with a well-known investment bank. The academic profile was very strong, typically GCSE grade As for Maths and English and 360 UCAS points or international equivalent. The candidates were academic clones yet some were successful and others were dismissed from the process.
The candidates who progressed had invested their time in hobbies/interests/work experience/voluntary work and articulated the value from this investment to demonstrate how they will become a valuable member of the team. Graduate recruiters don’t recruit for the present, they are recruiting talent for the future, creating a talent pipeline and a succession plan. They will use evidence from the candidate to predict their potential in the organisation.
It is, therefore, my strong recommendation that students should not undervalue their involvement in extracurricular activity. This should be celebrated and achievements shared. Careful thought should be given to hobbies, interests, work experience and society membership using experiences and achievements gained to illustrate personal development. This approach will create interest and often the point of difference that an employer is seeking to progress the student to the next stage of the process.
Review the value created in these activities. Think about specific examples where activities have resulted in creating income, reducing costs or suggesting an improvement to a process. This may seem immaterial but employers are keen to learn more about these scenarios as it may be relevant to their environment. Employers are genuinely interested in such examples so it is a wise investment of your time to present these clearly on the initial application.
For students who successfully act upon this, the reward of summer internships and industrial placements with some of the UK`s largest employers may become reality. Perform well in an internship and job offers will follow potentially before returning to university for your final year of study. This is a fantastic position to be in, one that the minority of students will find themselves in and this reinforces the point for creating a differential.
Contributed by Simon Pollard, Commercial Director
www.smart-resourcing-solutions.com
