BLOG SERIES: Recruitment advice from ARU’s Employability professionals ARU have a dedicated Employability Service who not only add value to the student experience by providing guidance on all aspects of careers, employability and job searching, we also offer expert advice to the business community. In a series of blogs we will deliver essential assistance to anyone attempting to navigate the student or graduate recruitment landscape, build a talent pipeline, raise brand awareness, close skills gaps or upskill your workforce. The first instalment in the series will focus on: STUDENT/GRADUATE RECRUITMENT According to Get Hired by LinkedIn News UK it takes new recruits just over 6 weeks to decide if their new job is right for them. Therefore employers must invest in an effective recruitment, onboarding and induction process to deliver positive employee experiences from the outset. Inspiring Recruitment: Experience the recruitment process first hand – put yourself in the candidate’s shoes and try to apply for your vacancies. Take note of the ease and efficiency of the process and if it leaves you motivated to pursue the application. If you use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), monitor the number of abandoned applications – high figures indicate an issue with the process. Consider what you could remove from the application process – do you really need to know referee details at this initial stage? Focus on the essential information only to remove barriers for your applicants. Consider using peer role models – include a video from a staff member explaining the recruitment process from their own experience. Colleagues could also be in attendance at recruitment events such as careers fairs or they can be introduced to potential new employees at interview stage. Aspirational Onboarding Implement a considered induction programme – forward thinking employers have utilised a dedicated intranet system for employee inductions where new recruits can easily gain access to all elements of the induction process including key information e.g. staff handbook (leave entitlement, sickness, pay process/info etc.), benefits package, mandatory training, available support, social enterprise, HR forms etc. Utilise peer role models – include a video from a staff member when they first joined the company to identify with new recruits and offer understanding. Establish your organisational culture through effective branding and live this culture through every aspect of the recruitment and onboarding process. Attribute specific responsibility of new recruits by demographic to key HR staff ensuring a supportive process. Assign appropriate peer mentors from the start of the employee journey – encourage these staff members to establish a trusted relationship and ‘open door’ for their mentee. Ask for feedback and close the loop to make sure it is used for positive change and/or to celebrate success. Timelines Weeks 1-3 Advert creation and promotion Weeks 3-4 CV shortlisting Weeks 4-5 First interviews – consider virtual Weeks 5-6 Second interviews – in person Week 6 Make offers TIP: Get in touch with candidates within 3 days of them submitting an application – this is when they’re most responsive. Look out for our next instalment in this blog series where we will provide useful details on how to create dynamic job adverts and promote vacancies. Laura Kendrick, Business Development Manager