7 Unique Challenges to Crafting an Early Career Hiring Strategy

While recruiting for any role at a company can be tough in today’s tight labor market, early career hiring has its own unique set of challenges. The way that you attract, evaluate, and ultimately hire entry-level employees will likely differ from your approach to recruiting more experienced professionals. As you develop your early career hiring strategy, here are some of the main challenges you may encounter (and some of our recommended solutions).

Challenge #1: Early career talent is a highly sought–after group, and you’ll have to find ways to break through the noise

With the unemployment rate at historic lows, the competition for entry-level candidates is high. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, consider recruitment strategies that personalize the candidate experience and prioritize efficiency. For example, you can send personal invites via email or LinkedIn to encourage candidates to attend an upcoming recruitment event or submit an application for an open role. You can also appeal to candidates by sharing as much information as possible upfront about the application and interview process, as well as being available to answer their questions along the way.

Challenge #2: There are an overwhelming number of schools you may want to target, and you’ll have to decide where to focus your efforts

Campus recruiting is still a major focus for recruiters who specialize in early career talent, but limited personnel and resources may affect how many schools you can actually visit in person. When compiling your list of target institutions, research if any of them offer virtual career fairs, which will generally involve a lower cost since travel is not involved and may enable you to target more. You can also host your own virtual hiring events and invite students from more schools, or use sourcing strategies that take a school-agnostic approach.

Challenge #3: You’ll have to invest in candidates much earlier than you normally would if you want to build a strong pipeline of talent

Even if you are ultimately hiring college juniors and seniors, you’ll benefit in the long run from also incorporating recruitment marketing strategies that target underclassmen. Today’s freshmen and sophomores are tomorrow’s juniors and seniors. You may consider offering webinars, panel discussions, or information sessions that provide an overview of your company, as well as opportunities that are available. Another option is to hold a workshop on professional skills or a walkthrough of the recruitment process at your company to further build relationships with prospective candidates, as well as strengthen their future applications.

Challenge #4: You’ll have to build unique strategies around attracting diverse early career talent

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are top of mind for employers as well as Gen Z candidates. Reaching out to HBCUs, school clubs, or conferences that focus on underrepresented populations within a given field can help attract diverse candidates at the early career level. It’s also a good idea to highlight your DEI initiatives — such as employee affinity groups, inclusive health care, mentorship opportunities, or professional development programs — within your recruitment materials to show how you continue to support career development.

Challenge #5: You need to be able to identify potential, and not hire based off experience 

You may be hoping to find the “perfect” candidate to fill a role, but the reality is not usually that straightforward. Entry-level candidates likely have more experience with coursework, extra-curricular activities, and internships or part-time jobs than they do with full-time work, so you’re looking at transferable skills, leadership qualities, and work ethic rather than a track record with results. You can also consider recruiting students from a variety of academic backgrounds rather than a handful of majors in order to reach even more talent.

Challenge #6: If your office is remote or hybrid, you may need to be creative in how you convey company culture 

Throughout the pandemic, students have become accustomed to learning and working remotely or in a hybrid environment. While data shows that most candidates prefer a hybrid work setting in which they can choose when they come into the office, prospective Gen Z candidates will still want to get a feel for your office culture. In fact, when asked in a March 2020 RippleMatch survey about why they might rescind a future job offer, many Gen Z candidates said they would do so for a superior company culture. Think about ways to showcase what makes your company and its culture special, whether that’s through in-person or virtual tours, panel discussions at an info session, or informational interviews with current employees.

Challenge #7: You’ll need to keep talent engaged between the accepted job offer and the start date

Often, several weeks or months may elapse between when a student signs a job offer and when they arrive for the first day of work — especially if they are earlier in their college careers. In some cases, students may be offered other jobs and choose to renege on their original offer. To reduce the likelihood of “ghosting,” implement a strategy that keeps incoming employees excited about the role and in the loop about what’s happening at the company. Some examples include sending out company newsletters, pairing new employees with an “onboarding buddy” who currently works at the company, or setting up new hire events like happy hours. 

Even though there are numerous challenges associated with early career hiring, the good news is that there are tools that can help. For example, RippleMatch specializes in connecting employers with early career talent through services like our job-matching platform, events management solution, and advanced recruitment analytics. Using a combination of human recruiters and the right technology to scale your impact can overcome many of these challenges and position you as a standout employer for the next generation of job seekers.