Insights

COVID-19 is rewriting the rules of entry-level recruitment. With many universities sticking with remote or distance learning this fall and spring, “campus recruiting” is less about meeting students on campus and more about hiring candidates over Zoom. One of the biggest challenges is that it can be hard to create an inclusive hiring process when students have varying access to resources. These differences can be more stark than before as more students are living and learning from home.

Learn more about how to execute a successful recruitment events strategy via our guide, "100 Events & How to Do Them."

Learn more about how to execute a successful recruitment events strategy via our guide, "100 Events & How to Do Them."

This upcoming recruitment season will be unlike any other. With many schools sticking with distance learning for the fall semester, employers will need to be more creative than ever in their campus recruiting, especially when it comes to events.

In a typical semester, students often used in-person employer presentations and career fairs not just as a way to find jobs or internships, but as a way to explore and understand industries and career paths; a RippleMatch survey found that 74% of students previously used in-person events as a career discovery tool. Another RippleMatch survey conducted in wake of COVID-19 found that 68% of students are applying to positions outside their preferred industry. That means as students apply for jobs and explore career paths, it’s important to showcase what your industry has to offer, even in a virtual setting.

With campus recruiting going virtual, students may be overwhelmed with emails, social media posts, and overall “Zoom fatigue.” On top of that, employers who are competing for top college talent will likely all be facing the same limitations in terms of technology, and many are still encountering a steep learning curve as they try to create engaging online presentations.

Internships are a great way to introduce promising students to your company while also providing valuable work experience, and this remains true for remote internships. In addition to day-to-day tasks, part of the internship experience is a range of engagement opportunities for the interns. Beyond the standard summer outings and after-work social hours which are now all being done virtually, the opportunity for interns to meet and hear from company leaders is one of the most important parts of any internship – and students know that. In fact, research from RippleMatch found that one of the top concerns of students taking part in remote internships is that there won’t be opportunities to forge strong connections with senior leaders. To mitigate these concerns and provide interns with a valuable and fulfilling summer experience, it’s important to go the extra mile to connect interns and senior leaders. Looking for ideas? Here are six:

As we enter the fourth month of coronavirus lockdown, Pride is looking a little different this year: parades, marches, parties, volunteer events – all cancelled. If your company typically has a full slate of activities planned throughout June to celebrate Pride Month, you might be scratching your head, wondering how to show collective support for your LGBTQ+ employees and broader community without in-person gatherings.

Most college students have spent the last few months of the semester finishing their classes online. Now, many of them will be launching their careers from behind a computer screen, too. According to the Navigating Entry-level Jobs & Internships During COVID-19 report released by RippleMatch last month, 46% of students said that their entry-level job or internship would be starting remotely. For most students, the switch to a remote work environment has not had a significant impact on their excitement about a new job.