why should you employ students & graduates?

7/27/2019 Why should you Employ Students & Graduates?

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Why Should You Employ

Students &Graduates?
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Introduction

Witlr's denition of a student and graduate

Witlr is here to help employers of all sizes nd the people they need for their

organisation. The Witlr team knows rst-hand how important it is to have the

right people working for your business. Our investor and mentor has over 20years of experience running businesses, including a FTSE 100 nancial services

company, so you can be condent we are not full of hot air. We will oer you

relevant unbiased advice, helping you to make the right decisions when you're

hiring.

Our business revolves around university students and graduates. If you are

reading this then you are probably deciding whether or not hiring a graduate is

worthwhile. We want to help you make this decision, and whilst we think

students and graduates oer businesses invaluable skills, we know that they may

not be suitable for every company.

However, with hugely successful companies taking on high numbers of

graduates, it's clear they must oer some sort of return on investment. Some

businesses are putting graduates at the forefront of their recruitment drive with

large corporations like PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte employing

approximately 1200 graduates every year. However it isn't just big companies

seeking the benets that smart, motivated graduates bring to a business. All be it

on a smaller scale, thousands of SMEs (Small and Medium Sized Companies) take

on graduates each year and reap the rewards; as exemplied in our case studies

found at the end of this guide.

We want to give you the whole picture with this easily digestible guide and

perhaps bust some of the myths surrounding employing students and graduates.

For the sake of clarity and to make sure we are singing from the same hymn sheet

we have dened who we are talking about when we use the terms student and

graduate at Witlr:

Student An individual who is currently studying towards an undergraduate or

postgraduate degree at a UK higher education establishment, usually a University.

A list of these (what degrees or unis?) is available on the .UCAS website

Graduate An individual who has completed their course and been awarded an

undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a specic subject. Upon completing a

degree graduates are given titles, the most common of which are BSc, BA, MA,

MSc. Find out the dierence between an undergraduate and postgraduate degree

abbreviations .here
http://www.ucas.com/https://witlr.com/employer-advice/degree-abbreviations-and-gradinghttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/degree-abbreviations-and-gradinghttp://www.ucas.com/


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What a student and graduate isn't:

University: Degrees and Experience

Although those studying A-Levels or BTECs at college and school are technically

students for the purposes of this guide we are not referring to them and only

those who have been through higher education.

Apprentices and those completing vocational courses are also not included in our

denition of a student or graduate.

Degrees

Degrees vary in length but the majority consist of 3/ 4 years of study in a

specialist subject of choice. Most degrees have minimum entry requirements,

usually based around the grades achieved by a candidate in their previous

education. Degrees are a mixture of communal learning in lectures and seminars

and independent study in the library and at home.

Degrees undoubtedly have their pros and cons. On the positive side students

learn in depth about their chosen subject and pick up various transferable skills

along the way. Nearly all degrees will build transferable skills including enhanced

written and verbal communication, computer skills and improved organisationand time management. Students also gain the ability to research material and

construct a strong argument, along with the knack for learning and picking up

new skills quickly.

However not every degree enables students to apply what they have learnt in a

practical, working environment. So if graduates haven't gained work experience

outside of university they can come out of university under prepared for the

working world.

Experience

Many believe that university is a 3 year holiday taken to put o going into the

working world whilst of course having a couple of drinks along the way. Although

some may go to university with this mindset, for most this is not the case.

Students get out what they put in at university, both in their course and socially.


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The benets of hiring graduates

The social aspect of university is obviously a huge part of the experience. Indeed

many of the traits you may be looking for in an employee are developed not in

the lecture theatre or library but in a student's social experiences at university.

As every employer knows grades and academia don't always give the full picture

of a job applicant. You might nd a graduate with a rst class degree, although

highly intelligent, has spent too long in the library and is unable to interact withother team members or clients. Whereas potentially a student who has immersed

themselves in other aspects of university life such as societies and sports teams

may not have such a sparkling academic record, but they may be a better

communicator or possess other qualities you value in your company.

Loyalty Graduates are grateful to the company that rst employs them

and this gratitude manifests itself in a high level of loyalty for yourbusiness. A study by the Institute of Employment Studies shows that 86%

of graduates are working for the same employer 3 years after they start.

This enables you to plan for the future within your company; you can

trust loyal employees who have been in a business for a long period of

time and rely on them to take the business forwards.

Flexibility As the graduate jobs market becomes more competitive

graduates are growing increasingly exible. The majority are happy to

move anywhere; they have few ties or commitments and are often keen

for a new adventure after university. Graduates are also exible in termsof their working style. Having never been fully integrated into a company

culture they haven't built up bad habits or a 9-5 mentality. You can

therefore shape a graduate in your company's image, making them

perfect for your business.

Creativity and enthusiasm Businesses need innovation to develop and

stay one step ahead of the competition. Students and graduates bring

bundles of enthusiasm, creativity and new ideas. The often perceived

weakness of a 'lack of experience' can be a positive, as students aren't

ground down by industry conventions. Their naivety and enthusiasmmean they can come up with fresh ideas to move your business forward.

Some ideas may be outlandish or impossible to implement, however just

one of these ideas could lead to a vast improvement in your business. A

fresh perspective can do great things for your company.

Motivated Students and graduates have something to prove when they

come out of university. They want prove to themselves that they have

what it takes, out do their peers and show their parents that university

was not a waste of 3 years and thousands of pounds. These are highly

motivating factors and means you get an employee eager to take on

responsibility and make a dierence.


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Advanced Capacity for Learning After years of education and learningmost graduates have found way to learn that works for them. They have

a great capacity to learn independently and pick up new skills quickly.

Aordable and Good Return on Investment Due to statistics usually

garnered from the wages paid by 'top 100 recruiters' it perceived by

many that graduates are expensive to employ, pay and train. In fact it is

quite the opposite, normal graduate salaries range from 15,000 -

25,000 depending on location and industry. The competitive jobs

market means many graduates are willing to take reduced salaries to get

their foot in the door. Of course for a business if the return on

investment greatly outweighs the cost then the investment was

worthwhile. Statistics from the AGR suggest that graduates add 1 billion

of value to the UK economy each year, so recruiting a graduate could be

the smartest investment you make.

Comfortable with Technology Students and graduates are

comfortable with technology having grown up in an era where

computers and technology are a part of everyday life. With businesses

increasingly reliant on technology, the internet and everything that

comes with it (eg. social media), a smart employee who has their nger

on the pulse would be a useful addition to your business.

In some industries it isn't possible for graduates to hit the ground running. They

may need training in specic areas, need time to appreciate the full scope of their

new role or lack the network of clients necessary to perform the role to the

necessary standard.

As we mentioned earlier, a graduate's inexperience can be a good thing; making

them malleable and enthusiastic. However the downside of this is that they

ultimately lack industry experience and commercial nous. Obviously many

students are looking to resolve this by taking on internships and placements butthere is still a large shift in mentality from the lecture theatre to a working

environment.

Many graduates are eager to dive in at the deep end straight away. You may need

to reign in their enthusiasm and ensure they rstly have adequate knowledge in

your eld, and when they do, that they are able to apply their knowledge in a way

that benets the company commercially. Then you can let them o the leash and

reap the rewards of your motivated, enthusiastic employee.

The negatives to hiring graduates


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Some of the Myths Busted

It's expensive to recruit and train graduates You don't need a multi-

facetted graduate training scheme and a 25,000 salary to get good

graduates. Graduates main motivation is not money; factors high ongraduate's wish lists are: jobs with exciting career prospects, job

satisfaction, the chance to take on responsibility and autonomy in the

work place. Investing time when graduates start and helping them lay the

foundations for future success is the best way to attract good talent.

Graduates only want to work in large companies Firstly this simply

isn't possible considering the number of vacancies within large

companies and the number of students that graduate each year. Some

graduates are admittedly drawn towards larger companies; this is

inevitable as big corporations have brand recognition and a largepresence on university campuses. However many students are now

choosing to search for opportunities in SMEs as there is a growing

realisation of the benets working in a smaller company can oer them.

The problem students and graduates have is that they aren't always

aware of the opportunities available in SMEs. If the link between

students, graduates and SMEs can be improved then more graduates will

aspire to work in smaller companies.

Students and graduates are looking for entry level roles in which they have the

chance to learn and make a measurable contribution to a business. A trainee or

assistant job where graduates can learn from an expert is ideal. A permanent job

where photocopying and making tea are seen as the main responsibilities may

not satisfy graduates for long. Graduates are willing to knuckle down and work

hard but they will want a role where they can see the opportunity for career

progression in the future.

Types of Jobs Graduates and students are looking for


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Case Studies SMEs that hired graduates and have

never looked back!

Horatio Investments

Allsorted UK

Horatio have a team of 15 in their start-up angel investment company, 5 of this

team are recent graduates and they look to graduates rst when recruiting for

new roles.

We have found that graduates are enthusiastic, quick to learn and able to take

direction from senior members of the team. By selecting graduates carefully we

have ended up with a talented and smart group, who are also exceptionally hard

working. They thrive on been given responsibility and we give all our graduates

their own roles and projects so they can really get their teeth into something. Ourgraduates have helped to drive Horatio Investments forward with their ideas,

enthusiasm and work ethic.

Martin Bowles, MD at Horatio Investments

Allsorted UK have built their new area sales team out of graduates, these people

are key to the growth of their business showing their belief in graduates ability.

Graduates are good people to hire not just because they have achieved a level of

intellectual capability but they have also been through a life process; taking

responsibility for deadlines, budgeting nances, and mixing with a diverse group

of people. These skills are transferable, necessary and essential in the

workplace.

Julia Perry, Managing Director of UImpact and Resourcing manager for Allsorted

UK
https://witlr.com/showcase/101https://witlr.com/showcase/158https://witlr.com/showcase/158https://witlr.com/showcase/101


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A large proportion of the sta at Manifest London are graduates and we will

always consider graduates for our roles.

Students and graduates are always keen to impress and therefore come with

bundles of enthusiasm and exciting interests. We love this attitude in our

company culture

Ali Maynard, Senior Account Manager at Manifest London

Manifest London

Witlr is the newest way to nd high quality students and graduates that have the

exact skills you are looking for.

Employers can personally search the fastest growing database of high quality job

seeking students and graduates quickly and easily for free. Find your perfect

candidate's from a pool of thousands and only pay to contact the ones you really

want to interview.

Businesses can search on anything from educational establishment, course and

grade right through to work experience, hobbies and interests increasing you ndthe right candidate for your role and company culture.

Witlr also oers a free where you can advertise your roles and lterJobs Board

the applications on a number of things to save you more and more time.

For more information feel free to register and try Witlr out, there is no obligation

to use us; however I am sure you won't be disappointed.

Alternatively you can contact the team on 01458 836555 or email Nick, the

Managing Director on [email protected]

How Witlr Can Help You
http://www.witlr.com/https://witlr.com/jobsmailto:[email protected]://witlr.com/jobsmailto:[email protected]://www.witlr.com/https://witlr.com/showcase/99


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Looking for more advice? Check out our other guides:
https://witlr.com/employer-advice/useful-resources-and-signpostinghttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/interviewing-graduateshttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/degree-abbreviations-and-gradinghttps://witlr.com/employer-advice/a-guide-to-witlr


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