NACE: How to best message to—and convert—student talent

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently released data from their 2012 survey of over 48,000 students across the United States. Over 30% of those surveyed were from the class of 2012.

Through the survey, NACE honed in on preferences of college students today and highlighted key factors to successfully recruit students. Four of these stand out as highly desirable and should be leveraged in your recruiting strategies. Two involve messaging, and two involve the conversion of candidates into hires.

Although companies use  various types of media to push out and advertise information, students recall the message most favorably when personal outreach from a company is provided through key stakeholders. Engage alumni and executives in your recruiting strategies and steer them on campus for personal contact with students. Personal stories and passion for the job or company form the most effective way to connect with and motivate students. While this is clearly an avenue pursued by a number of WPI employers (with high alumni activity in Career Fair participation, as well as the On-Campus Recruiting program), many more employers are beginning to see the long-term rewards of being involved with programs that invite them to interact with students during the academic year, e.g., interview panels, resume critique programs, networking events, etc.

When it comes to converting hires, two best practices also stand out to today’s college students. Having a paid internship with meaningful projects is critical to converting an intern into a successful hire. If internships are strategically structured, both the student and the employer benefit. At the time of an entry-level offer, students are now paying more attention to the entire benefit package, not just the salary. Within the package, future opportunities for training and education rank high on the priority list for new graduates.

For additional information regarding the National Association of Colleges Employers and their salary survey information, please visit their website at www.naceweb.org. Articles referenced include “What Students Want From Employers.”