Insights

In 2020, many companies were forced to host their internships virtually, with little time to plan. The ability of university teams to adapt in-person programs in as little as a few months or even weeks was impressive, but many lessons were learned from the hastily-formed programs.

This year’s graduates face challenges they never could have imagined when they entered college. The unexpected emergence of COVID-19 led to decreased employment rates, changes to work environments (largely a shift to remote work), and new hiring practices. Now, with the end of the school year just around the corner, juniors and seniors continue to face an uncertain academic and professional future.

Internships are about so much more than work. They’re also an invaluable opportunity for potential future candidates to get a feel for company culture, colleagues and build a sense of community with their fellow interns. But shifting to a remote internship can make building those same relationships more difficult. In fact, in a RippleMatch survey of over 1,000 college juniors and seniors from 235 schools, only 44% of students rated community-building with peers as a positive experience during their remote internship.

Tech-savvy, independent, and impact-focused are a few of the descriptors that come to mind when thinking about Gen Z. But changes brought about by COVID-19 means there are many new things for managers and campus recruiters to learn about this generation. One major facet is understanding how Gen Z communicates in the workplace -- especially a remote one.

With all the time and money invested in recruiting talented early career candidates, getting a signed offer letter is only half the battle. Retention is important too – especially to ensure that new graduates develop into future leaders at the company. So how can you effectively manage young employees and help them develop as rising professionals?

We all know 2020 was an unprecedented year – and college recruitment teams had to adapt their strategies through it all. That’s why RippleMatch is proud to announce the 2021 Honorees of our first-ever Campus Forward Awards.

It's been an unprecedented and challenging year, and college recruitment looks different than ever before.

What makes a candidate qualified for a specific position? Most hiring managers and recruiters look to factors like past experience, references, and assessments. But for entry-level hiring, GPA is often used as a hard filter and a tool to assess and compare candidates. According to the NACE 2019 Job Outlook Survey, 73% of employers planned to use GPA to screen candidates (the highest percentage since 2013), with the most common hard filters set at 3.0.

Professional development matters, especially for Gen Z. In RippleMatch research, we’ve found that professional development ranks in the top of Gen Z’s list of priorities when searching for a job, and is one of the most influential factor when this generation considers accepting an internship or job offer. However, you don’t need to wait until you’ve already hired a candidate in order to get started on their professional development. One way to stand out to Gen Z talent while recruiting is to “show, don’t tell” your dedication to professional development. This approach is especially valuable in a time when many students lack professional resources due to remote learning, canceled internships, and limited in-person networking events. So instead of only showing up to virtual career fairs, incorporate these ideas to help potential candidates develop professionally while also expanding your employer brand.