Campus Recruiting More Important than Ever in Today’s Business Climate

Just a generation ago, young people graduated from college and went on to a job that turned into a lifelong career. Loyalty was a given, and there was no need to switch companies; plenty of opportunity existed for moving up the corporate ladder while increasing salary and prestige. Fast forward to our current reality–the post-recession VUCA era, where we simply cannot expect stability and permanence in the work world.

VUCA is an acronym standing for volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. VUCA has been used in the business world for some time now and accurately describes the current and near-future of recruiting and related business functions. For instance, employees are now comfortable trading some job security for opportunities they are most passionate about, and, according to ERE.net, we can now expect turnover rates to increase 25 percent. Recruiters must be prepared to fill positions with short notice, at any time, and they must constantly plan for future placements.

Why recruit students?

Even in the VUCA era, campus recruiting is vital for employers looking to fill highly technical positions with fresh talent. They need people knowledgeable in breaking technologies; new graduates often provide that insight at the lowest cost, making it possible for their companies to invest in resources they can use in tandem with this new knowledge to strengthen and grow. Clearly, hiring on campus or offering internships to college students can provide your business with new perspectives.

College recruiting today

In years past, companies needed only to post on a college’s campus bulletin board to attract a flood of applications. Not so today, as students in a number of key majors are in high demand. With mostly stagnant corporate recruiting budgets and outdated recruiting processes, organizations do not offer much to excite today’s graduating seniors.

Recruiters must be creative and position themselves at the front of the pack to be successful in recruiting the best students. This is especially difficult with limited travel budgets for HR pros to create a significant on-campus presence. What can an HR pro do to get in front of that elite group of students, quickly get through the interviewing process, and hire the best and the brightest of the bunch?

Video interviewing is clearly one of the “must-have” tools for corporate recruiters interested in hiring on college campuses. And candidates love the process–according to Async Interview, 91 percent of candidates who did a video interview felt that the interview created a favorable impression of the employer. Certainly this is why a full 54 percent of companies have a video interview system in place, with an additional 23 percent contemplating one for 2014. Video interviewing broadens a recruiter’s geographical reach, while saving time and money. Understanding the Campus Recruiting Race is the first step, and then implementing technologies such as video interviewing will allow employers to have a big lead right at the starting gun!

Utilizing the best tools available is a sign of pure professionalism and gives potential employees a taste of what is to come should they accept an offer with your company. Likewise, these tools enable you to see and hear a prospect’s answer to crucial questions, ensuring that you will make a good hire. When evaluating offers, do you want them to remember your team as the recruiting team that kept dropping their call to your cell phone, or as that totally organized, professional employer they were able to chat with face-to-face, despite being 2,000 miles away? Statistics show that is the value that video interviews can bring to your business.