JessKez-620

Employers are failing to engage with their graduate job applicants, increasing the risk of losing talent, according to new research published by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

The report argues that graduate employers must do more to compete for talented candidates, while those looking for new graduate roles now have the power to choose the employer that appeals to them, due to the high number of vacancies currently available.

Listening to what graduate candidates want

The research found that 34% of graduate workers believe that employers should provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates – an opinion considered the most important improvement an employer could make.

A further 51% said that if they had a bad interview experience with an employer they would discuss it with friends and family, while 94% of graduates who described their last interview experience as “bad” were not provided with feedback from the employer.

Kevin Green, Chief Executive at REC, said that it’s getting harder for employers to find the graduate talent they need but added that many are still making fundamental errors during their recruitment process. This in turn is impacting upon the reputations of the organisations.

While companies are spending time and money on their branding and reputation, they are forgetting that the experiences they are providing potential candidates with are negative ones, meaning they need to wake up and listen to what jobseekers want, he added.

Wilson Cochrane, Chief Executive of BigScreen, who sponsored the research, said that candidates are extremely vocal about their thoughts and feelings of an employer and will share their opinions with others, so it is vital that employers ensure they are saying positive things.

He added that a strong employer brand can halve the cost per hire, reducing employee turnover by 30%, which highlights the importance of firms getting this right.

If you’re a graduate employer and need a helping hand in recruiting the right talent, speak to Discovery Graduates today.