Finding the perfect people for graduate vacancies

I have found recruiting for graduate vacancies one of the most testing jobs of my career. For regular jobs, a CV is sufficient to highlight the technical ability of a person. It is much more difficult for graduate jobs, as there are more complex questions that need to be answered which cannot simply be written on a CV.

Deciding a persons suitability to a graduate job is simple in theory: they need to show experience or transferrable skills that will enable them to be successful in the position. However, my vast experience tells me that many a ‘suitable’ candidate on the face of it, has proven to be ‘unsuitable’ once actually employed.

For a person to be a success in a graduate vacancy, the person needs continual determination to frequently hit targets. I have encountered many a person with a talent for sales, but a lack of drive to develop beyond a certain point. Essentially these people lose their drive. The problem here now lies with how soon will this person lose their drive? The answer lies with unknown parameters like personal issues, divorce, health issues, children, stress etc. However, a person’s past and personal characteristics may good proxies for these unknowns.

A fundamental rule of recruitment is that history has a habit of repeating itself. If an individual has been employed in a number of sales roles over several years and has stayed no longer than 2 years in each, it may be fair to think that they’ll stay for 2 years and move on again. The good news here is that it is such a consistent rule that you need not delve into the reasons for previous movement. The question you must answer is, ‘is two years long enough for you to justify recruiting’.

You may find it particularly hazardous filling graduate vacancies, if you have limited experience of sales yourself. It might be the case that you have set up your business using your specialist skills, but in order to develop you need a person to sell your ideas. It is imperative to you that this business venture does not fail. In order to achieve a successful outcome, you need to recruit the ideal person. It is common place to come across graduates who are outgoing and have the ‘gift of the gab’. But this will only go so far, you need to find someone with substance.

The best way to do this is do basically design your ideal person. Think about what basic skills and experience they need, what characteristics would you like them to have etc. Once you have your person specification, you need to search for the right person who meets the criteria and is suitable for your graduate vacancy. Look for winners, someone who is not frightened of a scrap and will be reliable when times are hard. Look at their past, find out what motivates them, have they a history of achieving high end results?

Be sure to keep methodical in your search to fill graduate vacancies. Be honest on your job advert and find out if your candidates are honest. If you write your advert based on the person specification you have designed then eventually you will end up with applicants who are suited for the vacancy. When it comes to interview, look into their past and pick the one who best meets your criteria. Remember to keep to basic principles.