Graduating from college doesn’t always ensure that you have a job waiting for you. I was one of those who went to a staffing firm hoping that my lack of experience would be something agencies could help me with. I struggled with finding one that was willing to find me a job due my lack of experience. Several varied temp assignments later, I did find employment. But the process was off-putting when it did not need be. Here are things an agency can do to help new graduates.
Training. Agencies can create a formal three- to six-month program for graduates with no experience. The graduate works with a mentor on internal projects and is trained based on their skills and interests. It would be helpful to be trained on widely used computer software programs like SAP, Oracle etc. Alternatively, leading staffing agencies can negotiate with companies such as Apple, Facebook, Adobe to offer more internship programs to help students find the necessary work experience. From filing to making calls to completing projects, there’s a wide range of tasks fresh graduates can perform. This can help them gain the work experience qualifications they need while companies can get the job done at reasonable rates while building a possible hiring pool for the future.
Streamline what you ask for. Some agencies demand so much paper work, such as recent résumé, employment applications, background clearance and 10 years plus of work history. This from graduates who often don’t have much or any work experience Some of these demands make it almost impossible for us to apply to your firm.
Return phone calls. Two years into the workforce, I often hear from my employer that they wished they had found me earlier. There is obviously a need for people like us. Don’t keep us hanging. It took me months before I heard back from the agency I was targeting. And this was after making numerous phone calls and leaving many messages in response to a job listing. Please make your processing system less stressful for job seekers.
Résumé crafting. Some of us need help in knowing how to create a professional résumé. We may have the skills but are not in tune with what companies want. Some companies want your résumé to be submitted in certain formats, others frown upon certain wording. Some insist on a cover letter, many want a LinkedIn profile. Educate us before letting us loose.
Interview prepping. Recruiters should provide of list of interview question that an employer may ask us during our interview. It would be really useful if we could participate in mock interviews where we are shown how to answer these questions in a professional way. Prepping us for a job interview can lead to raw candidates walking away with a job offer that benefits us and the staffing firm.
Maintaining contact. Your staffing firm should be in touch with you through the process of finding a job. Whether it’s feedback on your résumé, an interview or what to expect from a certain assignment once you have landed the project, it is the agency’s responsibility to keep its workers informed. And while on assignment, the staffing firm should be checking in at regular intervals helping with any issues or just being a shoulder to lean on.
Staffing firms can do much to fill the gaps that many graduates have in their résumés once they leave college. If the firms do what it takes to launch us, the rewards they reap are for life including access to quality talent and word of mouth referrals. These candidates will do their bit to promote the staffing firm’s brand ensuring these companies have an edge in the war for talent.
