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The economy is in a strange place. While it has recovered faster than many expected, there is still much work to be done for it to return to its pre-pandemic state.

Millions of people have been receiving unemployment benefits. Two-thirds of them were making more money that way than they were at their previous jobs. This strange situation has made our recovery transition slower simply because those workers want to get the most out of their unemployment before returning to work.

In addition to the millions of people who have been unemployed, lost their jobs or businesses, there were also thousands of newly graduated students out looking for work. In May of 2021, approximately half of the people who graduated in 2020 were still looking for a job.

Now we have our 2021 graduates entering the fray as well. Thousands of recently graduated students are out looking for work and adding pressure to an already intense job market competition. If your startup is looking for lower-salaried employees, you might do well to consider hiring recent grads. Listed below are a few tips to keep in mind.

Conduct a Thorough Background Check

One of the things you should prioritize when hiring newly graduated students is to run thorough background checks. Not only will a background check reveal any criminal history, but it will also provide details of any past addresses and names. A background check will also verify their education and employment history enabling you to see if they lied or embellished their resume.

A thorough background check will even provide information on traffic records and other aspects of their life. These checks may not provide a “smoking gun,” but they can augment the interview process and help establish the overall character of the interviewee. You’ll be able to tell if the candidate is generally trustworthy or not. If they aren’t being transparent, you’ll probably be able to uncover that through an online background check.

Leverage Social Media

Newly graduated students are typically quite savvy when it comes to social media. It’s wise to utilize these platforms to find the right candidate and check on their personal character.

First, you can announce that you’re hiring for specific positions and that you’re accepting applications from newly graduated students looking for entry-level positions. You can also utilize LinkedIn and other career-centered social media platforms to review a candidate’s profile and get a better sense of what their character is like. It doesn’t matter what you’re hiring for, using social media is a great way to narrow down candidates and find the right person for the job.

Make the Most of Career Sites

Something else every business should utilize is career-themed websites. These platforms specialize in developing sophisticated algorithms that pair businesses with suitable candidates. Users can input all relevant details including salary range, experience, and education.

Newly graduated college students tend to know what they’re doing online. They’ll be looking for jobs using platforms that provide convenient options for applications. If you’re looking for the perfect match, utilizing the technology offered by career sites will enable you to quickly sift through many options and candidates. Whether you’re hiring for a highly skilled position or otherwise, save yourself time by using all the tools at your disposal to find the right person.

Attend Career Fairs

One thing you might consider is making time to attend career fairs. Most colleges host career fairs to connect graduating students with startups and other companies. Make an effort to bring your business to these fairs. That way, you’ll be able to meet candidates in person and get a better feel for their suitability. It’s much easier to get a handle on a person when you are looking at them face-to-face.

You’ll also be able to meet all kinds of candidates you might miss otherwise. They’ll be enthusiastic to begin their careers and gain the necessary experience to follow their dreams. It doesn’t matter what kind of position you’re looking to fill, it’s a great idea to attend career fairs.

Be Upfront About Your Expectations

When you’re hiring people who may not have the experience normally required for the job, you should be careful to be clear about your expectations. Detailing the position and what will be expected from the person who gets hired is an important part of hiring.

If the new graduate doesn’t fully understand what’s being asked of them, they won’t be able to meet expectations. When you’re clear about what you need, you’ll better be able to find the person who is right for the job.

Leave Room for Growth

When you hire newly graduated college students, you are likely hiring them for an entry-level position. That being the case, it’s necessary to leave room for growth. Most candidates will be highly motivated to work for less to gain relevant experience, but new graduates also want to excel in their careers.

Endeavor to be transparent about how the employee should be able to grow with the company. It’s important to lay out a clear path forward to keep them motivated and content with their position. You definitely don’t want them to get bored and stop working hard. Spend interview time sketching out a path for the newly graduated employee to grow with the business.

Cultivate Unique Skills and Perspective

New college graduates typically have a different perspective on life and almost all offer your company a unique set of skills. They should be encouraged to highlight their individual strengths and the ways they can use them to the benefit of your company.

Hiring the wrong person will impact your startup, but finding a person who has a variety of skills that can be used for different purposes will provide a versatile employee who can grow beyond their initial entry-level job.

It doesn’t much matter what your startup is or what you do, hiring college graduates for entry-level positions can greatly benefit your company. When you put in the effort to find the right candidate who can grow with the business and offer a unique perspective and set of skills, you’ll be more likely to cultivate an environment of loyalty and a team that is both trustworthy and hard-working.

There’s no reason you shouldn’t utilize all the tools at your disposal to determine who the right person for the job is. Not only is hiring new graduates cheaper, but it can also help you build a motivated team of young professionals.

The post Tips for Start-Ups Hiring College Graduates appeared first on KillerStartups.