Three Killer Grad Recruitment Strategies For Attracting & Retaining Young Talent

The most recent Afrillennial research study suggests 2018 will be a tougher year for graduates and recruiters to find their match since students are not settling for less and if they do, it’s not for long. Making your company attractive to graduates requires a bag of fresh tricks with Afrillennials (African millennials) who are more sophisticated, more informed and have ever increasing access to brands who want to enable their future success. This week we’re sharing 3 strategies for recruiting top graduates, that will not only help attract them, but also keep your opportunities from becoming just another stepping stone to the top of their career ladder.

1. 1.The Tables Have Turned

Employers, prepare to be interviewed! Gone are the days where top graduate talent is depending on companies to tell them what will happen in their new role. In a world where just about anyone and any position can be cyber-stalked through social media platforms like LinkedIn, before an applicant enters a job interview to take that very position, best believe the great candidates will have done their homework and come with questions.

Expectation communication is now a two-way conversation and no longer consists of a list of a company’s expectations, but rather negotiating and tailoring opportunities to meet the needs that graduates have. From alleviating their socio-economic challenges, to looking after their health and preparing enough information to tell them more about their growth prospects in the near future.

We know it is nearly impossible to meet all of Afrillennials’ projected desires, but the good news is that they are willing to negotiate and will stay with the company offering them the least risk and most beneficial rewards.

2. 2.It’s Not All About The Money

Students are aggressively ambitious and this involves much more than growing their bank account. Living a monied lifestyle is a cross generational desire but Afrillennials want to make money doing what they love. Money is also not the only thing they love making, they want to create memories.

Most Afrillennials are concerned with creating work-life balance with their jobs being a means for them to realise their wildest dreams. With enough balance between work and life, they’re better able to work on the things they love. They often have more than one income stream to help them create their personal version of success.

The most important benefits that are making Afrillennials say yes to the job:

• Healthcare
• Flexible work hours
• Travel opportunities
• Learning opportunities
• Student loan repayment assistance
• Family friendly benefits
• Access to technology

4. 3.Old Tactics Die hard

Companies often get graduate recruitment wrong from the get go. Recycled job adverts are just one of the pitfalls companies fall into when hiring Afrillennials.

Of course, your job advertisement is one of your first and most important marketing tools for attracting the right talent. So here’s a tip: At a glance, a long list of tasks can often leave their eyes twitching with strain, but a well written vacancy advert, speaking of your company culture and values, coupled with clear deliverables (to avoid getting applications from unqualified candidates) will go a long way.

There is much more you can do to attract top graduate talent, like activating on campus as students are about to graduate and starting up that conversation and connection with them. In fact, students also form perceptions of brands based on the products they use and the service they get from them.

Give Them A Reason To Care

If you’re having trouble finding top graduate talent and tailoring your message to get their attention, you may want to consider working with a world class graduate specialist company. That’s what we’re here for – call us on 011 885 3918 or email to discuss your graduate recruitment needs.