When did it become the norm for companies to just post a job with the career center and on their own website and think they would get top talent? I am not sure if companies just feel this new batch of students are Internet and computer savvy and they will figure it out. Do companies have the attitude that students need the job more then the company needs them?
I have really bad news for these companies: You are never going to get top talent if you are not on campus, are just standing at a career fairs, and are doing canned presentations and information sessions. You need to build relationships, if this is your process. You will continue to get candidates that to do not fit into your culture—they are going to accept an internship, but not the offer at the end. I hear companies talk about high turn over with age group—but these new grads take the job based on limited information and leave once they feel they do not belong.
* Top students have many options. They are accepting the offers coming from companies that are on campus year round—not just few times during recruiting season.
Are Career Fairs Dying?Students get dressed up and walk around a giant room full of companies that are all doing the same thing. Company representatives wait their turn to talk students, asking very basic questions and telling students to apply online. Students find this very off-putting and not very personal. These are students who are looking for the right company to work for in the future. These students are Internet savvy, have read the (sterile) company profile, and are seeking more information to make that last decision on where to apply. Because so many companies have internship and graduate programs, students have limited time to apply due the long process companies put applicants through these days.
* Companies need to engage with students. Ask them questions beyond the resume and take the time to answer their questions, no matter the long line.
The Information Session - A Thing of the Past? At one time, one of the most popular events on campus was an information session. This was a great time for students to meet and greet a representative with the company—someone beyond the recruiter.
For years companies had to rely on information sessions or printed brochures to inform students about the company, hence the information session. As time passed, companies became too busy or lazy to put a real effort into this in-person opportunity. Why do we say this? Today's students do not attend information sessions because the company sends a recruiter or a campus ambassador to do a canned presentation.
* Stop doing information sessions and look for new creative ways to engage with the talent you seek. Work with the associations or professors about conducting case studies or how you might offer PowerPoint or Excel courses.
* Find ways for students to learn about you: They will follow those they trust.
Relationships - Are They Going Away?When companies had strong university relations teams, company recruiters would spend more time on campuses than in the office. Recruiters spent association meetings doing business introductions. The strong recruiters could reach back into the business and bring alumni who were leaders in finance, supply chain, engineering, or other related fields to the associations of comparable degrees. These alumni would tell their stories and talk about building their careers in the field. These were not canned presentations: these were great career stories that students could relate to.
* Students want to know what happens after graduation, not how to apply. Students will follow those they relate to, not a logo on a shirt.
Last, students talk, what are they saying about you?
#Universityrelations