Hiring College Students and Recent Grads

Hiring for an entry-level position can be a tricky situation. Candidates with strong resumes and relevant work experience won’t find salaries on the lower end of the pay scale enticing, and a recent graduate probably doesn’t have the exact work experience you are looking for. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they lack the skills you need. Recent graduates may have experience–professional or academic–that can transfer into an entry-level role. In addition, they may have strong work ethics or fresh insights that can benefit your department. So, how do you evaluate whether a college student or recent graduate will be a good fit?

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Look for Transferable Work Experience 

Some college students will have work experience. All work experience is valuable, even if the role does not directly transfer to your specific field.

Common work history for a young adult involves customer service jobs like retail and food service. While these jobs might not relate to your company’s open position, they do lead to the development of valuable skills. Both retail and food service require strong communication skills. Customer service employees are highly aware of their customers’ needs. Because they need to keep their store clean, retail employees will be organized and pay close attention to details. They might even have an eye for design thanks to the displays they curate. A food service worker is a great multitasker, as they’re often serving multiple tables. Though your open position might not require employees to roll silverware, you probably want someone who is a strong communicator, good under pressure, and organized. The list could go on!

You can find out if a candidate has transferable skills by asking behavioral interview questions. Rather than focusing on technical skills, which are often trainable, behavioral questions gauge how a candidate might respond to a given situation. A question like “Tell me about a long-term project that you’ve completed. How did you organize your schedule?” will allow candidates to share stories about their previous experience. Understanding how they approach their work gives insights into their transferable skills.

College students may also have internships in your field (or something similar). This is a great sign that they are excited about your line of work and will be a good fit for the role.

Student Organization Experience

Student organizations are a great way for college students to develop skills needed for the workplace. Student organizations are groups or clubs created at a college or university based on a common interest, hobby, or outreach mission. Many student organizations require leadership skills and may even have executive boards that students have to apply for. Even “orgs” with the sole purpose of entertainment require communication, event planning, and organization skills. These kinds of experiences prepare students for the workforce by further developing their transferable skills.

Personal or Academic References

Entry-level applicants, like college students, may have fewer professional references. In this case, it may be helpful to accept references from other sources. Personal or academic references are great options. Professors are often happy to write references for their students. A reference from a professor will show what kind of work style the applicant has. How much effort do they put into their work? Do they implement feedback well? Do they adhere to deadlines?

Portfolios

A portfolio is another way to test if a candidate will produce quality work. Although not all jobs will require one, they are useful if relevant to the open position. Fields that commonly request a portfolio are often related to art or design, coding, or writing.

Entry-level candidates may already have begun to build a portfolio thanks to their university or college assignments. Some colleges even require portfolios or have classes meant to guide students through developing them. A portfolio is especially helpful when hiring entry-level candidates for these reasons. A candidate doesn’t actually need work experience to design a compelling portfolio.

Many people include speculative work (commonly referred to as “spec” work) in their portfolios. This refers to any kind of creative work that has been completed for the purpose of building a portfolio. There is no guarantee for payment, and the creator might not even submit it to the company the spec work is based on. Many times, the spec work is tailored specifically to the job at hand.

A portfolio will display an applicant’s skill level. If they’re not up to par, don’t worry. They might be trainable.

Take a Risk

Someone’s got to hire recent graduates. Why don’t you give it a try? Your department might benefit from fresh perspectives. Recent graduates can be especially helpful when it comes to implementing upcoming technology. Does your marketing team struggle to use TikTok? Do you know how to maximize the use of AI resources like ChatGPT or Claude? New grads may be ambitious to prove themselves and excited to bring their skillset to your department

Another benefit is that you can train recent graduates from the ground up. They’re adaptable to new systems!