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Hiring is a vital component of business success, as a company’s performance is hugely reliant on its employees – if they are not up to scratch then it is likely that the organisation will suffer as a result.

This makes locating, recruiting and integrating the right people for the business a challenge that needs to be overcome, particularly when competition for talented graduates is as fierce as it currently is. According to a poll by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), the majority of employers are struggling to fill their graduate vacancies though.

Some of the UK’s largest graduate employers completed the survey, and of the 79 respondents, there were 13,156 graduate jobs available in 2016, of which 5.4% remained unfilled. The competitive market shows how important it is that companies look at their recruitment and onboarding processes to ensure they are able to attract the right standard of candidates.

Understand needs and priorities

A huge part of graduate recruitment revolves around understanding what is important to them and what they value most when looking for a job. Offering potential employees a big salary may look very good on paper, but if the company is unable to meet their needs when it comes to career progression, responsibility and other benefits, then they may still miss out.

Graduates in a certain sector may be more attracted to an organisation that offers them quick career progression rather than a higher salary, so it is important for employers to think about what is on offer. Implementing a mentor programme or more on the job training could make the vacancy more attractive to graduates, and result in more applications.

Target the right areas

Advertising vacancies in the right area can have a huge impact when it comes to both the standard and amount of applications. Posting on a job board specifically focused on a certain sector is much more likely to provide the right standard of candidates, but is likely to receive a lot less than a post on a general site.

Social media platforms can also be hugely advantageous for companies looking to hire graduates, as it is quite often the media channel they are most in tune with. Various sites, such as Twitter and LinkedIn, can also be used to present insights into the business which may attractive to candidates, such as training days for example.

If you’re an employer looking to attract the best graduate talent, find out how Discovery Graduates can help