Why work with a graduate recruitment partner?

Working with a graduate recruitment partner can be a great solution for attracting high calibre graduates.

After all, the entire process of attracting, recruiting and retaining top graduate talent is more important than ever before due to the high mobility of the graduate workforce and rising competition for top talent. Because of this, you need to find the best Graduate Recruitment Partner for your company.

Deciding to engage in external help from a graduate recruitment services partner to attract and retain the best is a big step – and one which should be carefully thought out. Here are a few questions to answer when searching for your graduate recruitment and development partner:

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1. Does the company understand your business?

Sector experience can make or break a partnership with a recruiter. Understanding the market your company is in and identifying what to look, listen and test for can be the difference between delivering average and outstanding candidates to assess.

Take the time to find out about their experience in your sector – what can they offer to help you find the best fit based on knowledge, skills and experience?

If they don’t have direct experience, how have they effectively screened and delivered candidates for their other clients? Case studies and consultations can be a useful way to do this objectively.

Additionally, it is also important to highlight how willing the company is to get to know your business. Graduate recruiters should always take the time to meet you at your office and visit key sites or locations – not only to understand the business, but to experience first-hand the environment in which the candidate will be working.

2. Can you see a long-term partnership with the company?

Often a long-term solution to hiring future talent, graduate recruitment campaigns are rarely a one-off occurrence. What is built one year, can help you the next year.

Finding a company with which you can build a relationship with could make all the difference in the strides your company makes towards recruiting the best talent and establishing your business as a great graduate employer.

Building upon the knowledge gained in the previous year can be great to achieve efficiency in future months and years – the recruitment provider you work with will know exactly who you are searching for and therefore more able to send the best suited candidates from previous campaigns and feedback.

That being said, success rate is an important factor but there are also other factors to consider: were you happy with the service? Did the team meet your expectations? Were they personable, reliable and prompt with communication?

Determining your working fit in advance can be achieved by reviewing the processes the recruitment provider would follow to find the right fit for your business.

3. How much involvement do you want?

Agreeing how you would like to work can help you to define processes and curb any unrealistic expectations – would you prefer to have more or less involvement throughout the process? Do you want to shortlist suitable candidates or see their applications? Does this recruitment solution match your internal processes?

Building relationships with key individuals is important. Will you have a singular point of contact or be provided with a project manager?

Adaptability and agility is key for a recruitment relationship to bloom and succeed – having a strong relationship with your project manager can help the project to run smoothly overall.

Having one partner who can deliver attraction, candidate engagement and on-boarding strategies provides increased efficiency, helping to ensure you can bring the best graduate to boost your stance in the market.

Are you looking for a graduate recruitment partner? Click here to find out what Cohesion can do for you. 

4. Does the company strengthen your brand?

Working with a graduate recruitment partner is no easy feat – it is important to remember that they will be acting as an extension of your brand.

Representing your business, your graduate recruitment partner, whoever you choose will be managing the candidate experience on your behalf. For many, this will be the first point of contact graduates have had with your organisation so it is important to look for a company that is able to portray and uphold your brand.

When searching for a graduate recruitment provider, your organisation must consider the reputation of the company, the kind of feedback they have had from both clients and candidates and how they would help you to achieve your organisational goals.

 5. Do they have the appropriate technical capabilities?

Your graduate recruitment partner should take the time to understand the issues you seem to be having – whether this is with attraction strategies, shortlisting suitable applicants or conducting effective assessment centres – it could very well be all three!

By recognising the shortcomings of your current recruitment process for graduates, your graduate recruitment partner should possess the knowledge to consult your organisation along with the ability to advise and implement a solution tailored to your needs.

For example, can they advise on appropriate testing, devise and build your assessment centres or understand which video interviewing platform (if any) is most suitable to your requirements?

Choosing a graduate recruitment partner is a big risk to take and a big decision to make. But, your organisation must feel 100% confident in their ability to portray your brand and values in a strong and compelling way. Communication must be open and transparent in order to discuss any concerns to be resolved immediately.