Michael is a human resource consultant with Insperity. He specializes in team building, employee engagement and performance improvement.
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Soon after college classes begin, businesses launch on-campus and virtual recruiting events to identify candidates for internships and entry-level roles. With the labor shortage continuing, businesses are competing more than ever for the strongest candidates. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 90% of employers are starting earlier in the recruiting season than in years past.
Beyond securing a candidate’s acceptance of an offer, businesses also must select candidates who fit the culture and will remain in their role for the duration of the internship or post-graduation. That makes it essential for companies to differentiate their brands and have a clear employee value proposition. A successful approach also requires comprehensive recruitment guides and assessments for companies to find the right person.
Define the culture.
The key to a successful on-campus recruiting strategy is defining company culture before, during and after on-campus recruiting. When asked why they left their last job in an October 2021 McKinsey survey, employees described factors like being valued by their manager, a sense of belonging, being valued by the organization and having caring and trusting teammates as important—yet employers did not name these factors as reasons why they believed that employees were leaving their organizations. This disconnect begins during the hiring process and can be addressed by clarifying culture from the beginning of on-campus recruitment. In doing so, businesses will attract candidates that understand and appreciate their culture.
Any discussion of culture also must include an employee value proposition that represents everything the employer has to offer, from pay and benefits to culture itself. Simply stated, culture is how things get done within an organization. While leaders may be tempted to try to appeal to the broadest number of college seniors possible, they should instead emphasize the factors that set their culture apart. Focus on language that sells key points about culture without hiding unique aspects. For instance, if managers have a hands-off approach, even with trainees, discuss the value placed on “critical thinking” and “a strong sense of independence” for entry-level employees.
A Q&A session with a junior employee can offer greater insight to prospective candidates. These individuals should be transparent in covering the talking points during their discussion, including “what do you wish you had known before accepting the role?” and “what type of person thrives in this company and what type of person does not?”
When recruitment strategies fail to define a culture and brand truthfully, recruitment may initially improve, but retention suffers in the long run. For example, college seniors who accept a role believing they will have a strong work-life balance will become disappointed and disengaged by a “work hard, play hard” position that demands longer hours.
Develop a comprehensive recruitment guide.
An overall strategy that puts culture front and center needs the support of comprehensive, well-written recruitment and interview guides. The recruitment team may already understand the nuances of on-campus recruiting but remember to fully train non-HR employees who attend recruitment events. Since these employees may focus first and foremost on their own duties, create materials like short-form videos or one-pagers to highlight the most important aspects of recruitment.
An excellent guide to recruitment events and interviews will encourage attendees to think critically about candidates and present a positive front. After touching base with managers about the needs of their teams, create a list of the top qualities that the recruitment team desires in a candidate, like “strong technical skills” or “creative problem-solving.” Give explicit examples of questions or topics that employees should ask, along with examples of which subjects to avoid.
Remind employees that their openness is critical to the process. While employees should never speak about their jobs or companies in a negative way during recruitment, they should speak truthfully about their experience. Whether a culture is fast-paced with a shorter training period or slow-moving with extensive approvals, candidates who understand the culture are more likely to accept an offer and feel satisfied in their roles.
Think critically about candidate assessments.
Candidate assessments provide another opportunity to sift through applicants to find the best fit. Above all, an interview should reveal whether a candidate fits the culture and can perform the core competencies of the role. By thoughtfully developing behavioral questions, recruitment teams can accomplish both.
A well-constructed behavior question will ask a candidate to describe how they would solve a problem that reflects the core competencies of their role. Depending on the complexity of the question, a behavioral question may also require the use of technical skills and multiple follow-up questions. At every step, interviewers should seek specific details from candidates. A successful candidate will support their answer with critical reasoning, evidence and examples from their own lives—even when the desired outcomes are not favorable. A willingness to continue learning, exhibiting humility and being open to coaching are critical to determining how a candidate fits the culture.
Recruiters should also create specific expectations for on-campus recruitment interviews that differ from experienced candidates. A single interview might not provide enough information to determine if nerves may be getting in the way of an otherwise qualified candidate. An interview process with multiple rounds will give a better picture of a candidate’s abilities and understanding of work culture. Consider whether technical assessments, case studies or examples of student work are necessary to test candidates on their skills.
By centering culture, crafting interview guides and designing thoughtful candidate assessments, business leaders and recruiters can create a winning on-campus recruitment strategy.
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