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Why Should You Employ
Students &Graduates?
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Introduction
Witlr's denition of a student and graduate
Witlr is here to help employers of all sizes nd the people they need for their
organisation. The Witlr team knows rst-hand how important it is to have the
right people working for your business. Our investor and mentor has over 20years of experience running businesses, including a FTSE 100 nancial services
company, so you can be condent we are not full of hot air. We will oer you
relevant unbiased advice, helping you to make the right decisions when you're
hiring.
Our business revolves around university students and graduates. If you are
reading this then you are probably deciding whether or not hiring a graduate is
worthwhile. We want to help you make this decision, and whilst we think
students and graduates oer businesses invaluable skills, we know that they may
not be suitable for every company.
However, with hugely successful companies taking on high numbers of
graduates, it's clear they must oer some sort of return on investment. Some
businesses are putting graduates at the forefront of their recruitment drive with
large corporations like PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte employing
approximately 1200 graduates every year. However it isn't just big companies
seeking the benets that smart, motivated graduates bring to a business. All be it
on a smaller scale, thousands of SMEs (Small and Medium Sized Companies) take
on graduates each year and reap the rewards; as exemplied in our case studies
found at the end of this guide.
We want to give you the whole picture with this easily digestible guide and
perhaps bust some of the myths surrounding employing students and graduates.
For the sake of clarity and to make sure we are singing from the same hymn sheet
we have dened who we are talking about when we use the terms student and
graduate at Witlr:
Student An individual who is currently studying towards an undergraduate or
postgraduate degree at a UK higher education establishment, usually a University.
A list of these (what degrees or unis?) is available on the .UCAS website
Graduate An individual who has completed their course and been awarded an
undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a specic subject. Upon completing a
degree graduates are given titles, the most common of which are BSc, BA, MA,
MSc. Find out the dierence between an undergraduate and postgraduate degree
abbreviations .here
http://www.ucas.com/https://witlr.com/employer-advice/degree-abbreviations-and-gradinghttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/degree-abbreviations-and-gradinghttp://www.ucas.com/ -
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What a student and graduate isn't:
University: Degrees and Experience
Although those studying A-Levels or BTECs at college and school are technically
students for the purposes of this guide we are not referring to them and only
those who have been through higher education.
Apprentices and those completing vocational courses are also not included in our
denition of a student or graduate.
Degrees
Degrees vary in length but the majority consist of 3/ 4 years of study in a
specialist subject of choice. Most degrees have minimum entry requirements,
usually based around the grades achieved by a candidate in their previous
education. Degrees are a mixture of communal learning in lectures and seminars
and independent study in the library and at home.
Degrees undoubtedly have their pros and cons. On the positive side students
learn in depth about their chosen subject and pick up various transferable skills
along the way. Nearly all degrees will build transferable skills including enhanced
written and verbal communication, computer skills and improved organisationand time management. Students also gain the ability to research material and
construct a strong argument, along with the knack for learning and picking up
new skills quickly.
However not every degree enables students to apply what they have learnt in a
practical, working environment. So if graduates haven't gained work experience
outside of university they can come out of university under prepared for the
working world.
Experience
Many believe that university is a 3 year holiday taken to put o going into the
working world whilst of course having a couple of drinks along the way. Although
some may go to university with this mindset, for most this is not the case.
Students get out what they put in at university, both in their course and socially.
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The benets of hiring graduates
The social aspect of university is obviously a huge part of the experience. Indeed
many of the traits you may be looking for in an employee are developed not in
the lecture theatre or library but in a student's social experiences at university.
As every employer knows grades and academia don't always give the full picture
of a job applicant. You might nd a graduate with a rst class degree, although
highly intelligent, has spent too long in the library and is unable to interact withother team members or clients. Whereas potentially a student who has immersed
themselves in other aspects of university life such as societies and sports teams
may not have such a sparkling academic record, but they may be a better
communicator or possess other qualities you value in your company.
Loyalty Graduates are grateful to the company that rst employs them
and this gratitude manifests itself in a high level of loyalty for yourbusiness. A study by the Institute of Employment Studies shows that 86%
of graduates are working for the same employer 3 years after they start.
This enables you to plan for the future within your company; you can
trust loyal employees who have been in a business for a long period of
time and rely on them to take the business forwards.
Flexibility As the graduate jobs market becomes more competitive
graduates are growing increasingly exible. The majority are happy to
move anywhere; they have few ties or commitments and are often keen
for a new adventure after university. Graduates are also exible in termsof their working style. Having never been fully integrated into a company
culture they haven't built up bad habits or a 9-5 mentality. You can
therefore shape a graduate in your company's image, making them
perfect for your business.
Creativity and enthusiasm Businesses need innovation to develop and
stay one step ahead of the competition. Students and graduates bring
bundles of enthusiasm, creativity and new ideas. The often perceived
weakness of a 'lack of experience' can be a positive, as students aren't
ground down by industry conventions. Their naivety and enthusiasmmean they can come up with fresh ideas to move your business forward.
Some ideas may be outlandish or impossible to implement, however just
one of these ideas could lead to a vast improvement in your business. A
fresh perspective can do great things for your company.
Motivated Students and graduates have something to prove when they
come out of university. They want prove to themselves that they have
what it takes, out do their peers and show their parents that university
was not a waste of 3 years and thousands of pounds. These are highly
motivating factors and means you get an employee eager to take on
responsibility and make a dierence.
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Advanced Capacity for Learning After years of education and learningmost graduates have found way to learn that works for them. They have
a great capacity to learn independently and pick up new skills quickly.
Aordable and Good Return on Investment Due to statistics usually
garnered from the wages paid by 'top 100 recruiters' it perceived by
many that graduates are expensive to employ, pay and train. In fact it is
quite the opposite, normal graduate salaries range from 15,000 -
25,000 depending on location and industry. The competitive jobs
market means many graduates are willing to take reduced salaries to get
their foot in the door. Of course for a business if the return on
investment greatly outweighs the cost then the investment was
worthwhile. Statistics from the AGR suggest that graduates add 1 billion
of value to the UK economy each year, so recruiting a graduate could be
the smartest investment you make.
Comfortable with Technology Students and graduates are
comfortable with technology having grown up in an era where
computers and technology are a part of everyday life. With businesses
increasingly reliant on technology, the internet and everything that
comes with it (eg. social media), a smart employee who has their nger
on the pulse would be a useful addition to your business.
In some industries it isn't possible for graduates to hit the ground running. They
may need training in specic areas, need time to appreciate the full scope of their
new role or lack the network of clients necessary to perform the role to the
necessary standard.
As we mentioned earlier, a graduate's inexperience can be a good thing; making
them malleable and enthusiastic. However the downside of this is that they
ultimately lack industry experience and commercial nous. Obviously many
students are looking to resolve this by taking on internships and placements butthere is still a large shift in mentality from the lecture theatre to a working
environment.
Many graduates are eager to dive in at the deep end straight away. You may need
to reign in their enthusiasm and ensure they rstly have adequate knowledge in
your eld, and when they do, that they are able to apply their knowledge in a way
that benets the company commercially. Then you can let them o the leash and
reap the rewards of your motivated, enthusiastic employee.
The negatives to hiring graduates
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Some of the Myths Busted
It's expensive to recruit and train graduates You don't need a multi-
facetted graduate training scheme and a 25,000 salary to get good
graduates. Graduates main motivation is not money; factors high ongraduate's wish lists are: jobs with exciting career prospects, job
satisfaction, the chance to take on responsibility and autonomy in the
work place. Investing time when graduates start and helping them lay the
foundations for future success is the best way to attract good talent.
Graduates only want to work in large companies Firstly this simply
isn't possible considering the number of vacancies within large
companies and the number of students that graduate each year. Some
graduates are admittedly drawn towards larger companies; this is
inevitable as big corporations have brand recognition and a largepresence on university campuses. However many students are now
choosing to search for opportunities in SMEs as there is a growing
realisation of the benets working in a smaller company can oer them.
The problem students and graduates have is that they aren't always
aware of the opportunities available in SMEs. If the link between
students, graduates and SMEs can be improved then more graduates will
aspire to work in smaller companies.
Students and graduates are looking for entry level roles in which they have the
chance to learn and make a measurable contribution to a business. A trainee or
assistant job where graduates can learn from an expert is ideal. A permanent job
where photocopying and making tea are seen as the main responsibilities may
not satisfy graduates for long. Graduates are willing to knuckle down and work
hard but they will want a role where they can see the opportunity for career
progression in the future.
Types of Jobs Graduates and students are looking for
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Case Studies SMEs that hired graduates and have
never looked back!
Horatio Investments
Allsorted UK
Horatio have a team of 15 in their start-up angel investment company, 5 of this
team are recent graduates and they look to graduates rst when recruiting for
new roles.
We have found that graduates are enthusiastic, quick to learn and able to take
direction from senior members of the team. By selecting graduates carefully we
have ended up with a talented and smart group, who are also exceptionally hard
working. They thrive on been given responsibility and we give all our graduates
their own roles and projects so they can really get their teeth into something. Ourgraduates have helped to drive Horatio Investments forward with their ideas,
enthusiasm and work ethic.
Martin Bowles, MD at Horatio Investments
Allsorted UK have built their new area sales team out of graduates, these people
are key to the growth of their business showing their belief in graduates ability.
Graduates are good people to hire not just because they have achieved a level of
intellectual capability but they have also been through a life process; taking
responsibility for deadlines, budgeting nances, and mixing with a diverse group
of people. These skills are transferable, necessary and essential in the
workplace.
Julia Perry, Managing Director of UImpact and Resourcing manager for Allsorted
UK
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A large proportion of the sta at Manifest London are graduates and we will
always consider graduates for our roles.
Students and graduates are always keen to impress and therefore come with
bundles of enthusiasm and exciting interests. We love this attitude in our
company culture
Ali Maynard, Senior Account Manager at Manifest London
Manifest London
Witlr is the newest way to nd high quality students and graduates that have the
exact skills you are looking for.
Employers can personally search the fastest growing database of high quality job
seeking students and graduates quickly and easily for free. Find your perfect
candidate's from a pool of thousands and only pay to contact the ones you really
want to interview.
Businesses can search on anything from educational establishment, course and
grade right through to work experience, hobbies and interests increasing you ndthe right candidate for your role and company culture.
Witlr also oers a free where you can advertise your roles and lterJobs Board
the applications on a number of things to save you more and more time.
For more information feel free to register and try Witlr out, there is no obligation
to use us; however I am sure you won't be disappointed.
Alternatively you can contact the team on 01458 836555 or email Nick, the
Managing Director on [email protected]
How Witlr Can Help You
http://www.witlr.com/https://witlr.com/jobsmailto:[email protected]://witlr.com/jobsmailto:[email protected]://www.witlr.com/https://witlr.com/showcase/99 -
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Looking for more advice? Check out our other guides:
https://witlr.com/employer-advice/useful-resources-and-signpostinghttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/interviewing-graduateshttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/degree-abbreviations-and-gradinghttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/a-guide-to-witlr -
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