There are many different philosophies around how to effectively hire employees and who to hire. Many CEOs of huge companies embrace the idea of bringing in more than just talent. Richard Branson of the Virgin Group believes in the idea of hiring more for personality rather than skill or experience. Other CEOs follow a different rule. Apple founder, Steve Jobs, believes in bringing in talent that will move the company further rather than “yes” people.
To hire or not to hire? This is one of the many challenging questions that most executives or business owners have to deal with when they’re faced with the reality of fresh graduates.
If you have the same situation, navigating through this tricky thought process can be exhausting. One thing’s for sure: it’s a big risk. It’s always outside the hiring comfort zone. To help you with this dilemma, we have prepared a six-point pros and cons guide to help you decide whether to hire a fresh grad or not.
PROS
1. Fresh graduates = fresh perspectives = fresh ideas.
Fresh graduates are a source of fresh ideas and perspectives. They’re also full of enthusiasm and energy.
They embrace technology as an integral part of their daily lives. In fact, most fresh graduates use technology when applying for a job, such as using Gumtree Jobs and/or other job posting mobile apps.
Coming out fresh from the university, they’re not yet jaded with corporate work. Fresh graduates provide a wealthy source of creativity that’s up-to-date with the recent trends and culture. This is a great advantage to a business desperately needing fresh, out-of-the-box ideas to move forward.
2. Fresh graduates are motivated and more than willing to do more.
You can never complain of a fresh graduate’s enthusiasm at work. The energy that a fresh graduate brings into a company can be a fuel that will inspire tenured employees. Fresh graduated usually don’t say no. In fact, it excites them if you’re going to give them more work.
Fresh graduates want to make an impression at work. They have the capacity to do more, take in more, and still perform at the same energy level. And because they don’t have any external commitments yet, they’re practically the most committed people at work.
3. Fresh graduates are cheaper to hire.
This is the most practical truth in hiring fresh graduates. They’re cheap. Unlike experienced professionals who have overblown asking prices. Choosing the most affordable but qualified candidate remains to be one of the great hiring tips.
Fresh graduates are willing to take the median pay by default, which is better compared with the higher salaries of experienced professionals.
CONS
1. Fresh graduates need adequate training time and have a longer learning curve.
Newbies to the real-world lack experience. This is a given fact for fresh graduates. They may have some strong internship record or have some job experience on the side, but their experience is still not enough for some of the requirements of the corporate world. That said, you have to spend adequate time to train fresh graduates to get them up to speed.
Moreover, the learning curves of fresh graduates tend to be longer compared with those of professionals with experience. You have to invest more time and effort in assimilating fresh graduates into the company’s culture, processes, and protocols.
2. Fresh graduates have more potential to job-hop.
While fresh graduates may have abundant energy and enthusiasm at work, there’s also a huge tendency for them to job-hop. This is true when they’re not getting the satisfaction and fulfillment that they’re looking for in a job. They’re pretty much very idealistic; in most cases, these ideals don’t align with the company’s culture and strategy.
Most fresh graduates end up doing freelancing or doing part-time work. Studies show that they quit in less than a year to find a job that’s more fulfilling.
3. Fresh graduates tend to expect a higher salary more than you think.
It’s true that it’s cheaper to hire a fresh graduate. However, contrary to what you think, a fresh graduate may ask you for a higher salary in exchange for his education. On top of that, the median salary for fresh graduates has drastically risen over the past few years.
Both of this combined, a fresh graduate’s initial asking price may be higher to what you’re going to expect. Nevertheless, it is still far cheaper compared with the price of experienced professionals who have basic skills.
Conclusion.
Ultimately, hiring fresh graduates is more of an advantage than a choice today. There are more fresh graduates every year than seasoned professionals. The fact that they bring in so much energy and enthusiasm is tantamount to a more dynamic and engaging company culture. The bottom line is you’ll need to people on board who can bring fresh ideas and perspective to the table.
