3 ways to hire the best young workers

Three ways to hire the best young workers

Latest data from the REC suggests that young workers are in real need in businesses, with 64% of employers surveyed indicating that they had recruited a young person (under 25) in the past year.

This is good news for graduates and those in their early twenties; with headlines in the past few years noting the trouble they are going through to find work through the recession.

Employers now are increasingly upping their efforts to find young workers for their business, so what does your organisation need to do to find the best of them?

Build a compelling employer brand

For young workers, it’s not out of the realms of possibility that the job they are applying for currently is also their first job they have ever had. So, you need to make sure that the idea of working at your business will be an enjoyable and interesting job for them to kick start their career with!

A good employer brand will give the impression to the outside world that it is a great company to work for. Do you have great work culture? Opportunities for training and development? Any employee benefits competitors don’t have? If so, make sure this is communicated to those that might be applying for a job with your business. The more people know about your business (especially young people), the more likely they will know that this is the job that’s right for them and will apply.

Clearly define a job role that can lead to career progression

If you’re looking to employ a young worker, one of the first things they will ask themselves about a role is whether it will lead to progression and promotions in the future.

This is something that you will need to think about when it comes to opening up a new position in your business fit for young workers. It’s fine to have an immediate need for a new role in your business, but if you can’t explain to young candidates what that role might look like in one, two or even five years’ time the likelihood is they will apply for other jobs that do. Even worse for you, they might take the job and then leave soon after once they have found something they like the look of more and you’ll have to go through the whole process again.

Hire based on attitude, not just skill

47% of business surveyed by the REC say that attitude was the most important factor when recruiting a young person, only 4% considered academic results. Dependent on the type of business you are and the type of job you need to fill, the importance between the two might vary. But, it’s important to remember you will never be able to hire the finished article straight out of college or university. If a young worker has the ambition to learn, develop and improve from the moment that they start work, you will have a long standing employee that will work wonders in your business. They might just be the best hire you ever make!