5 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring New Graduates

Recent medical grads … They’re a picky group. But they are full of creative and innovative ideas although they may be challenged with how the corporate world functions.

They are turning down jobs that don’t meet their needs nowadays. In order to help hire the right graduate for your workforce we put together the 5 mistakes to avoid in the process:

1. Strict work arrangements

Nine to five work days just don’t work anymore. Graduates want to know they are trusted and m ore importantly, they want to have flexibility to come into work ‘whenever’ they want. Telling them they can come into work anytime before 10 can go a long way.

Modern millennials and graduates need a work/life balance that is more important than financial reward. Which leads us on to our second mistake to avoid.

2. Throwing cash at them

Nowadays, biopharma graduates are far more committed to their personal learning and development, rather than the amount of money they can make (in some cases). They know that they will make more money as they grow older and progress professionally in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry.

So when hiring someone fresh out of university don’t just focus on the payment package you can offer them, but the development and career progression that you have on offer at your company as well.

Don’t take this the wrong way though, you still have to pay them!

3. Hiring for a grad position but you need 5 years experience

Stop asking graduates for too much experience. A lot of pharmaceuticals recruiters and biotechnology headhunters nowadays tend to hire grads based on their resume, rather than focusing on the eagerness and inquisitiveness of a candidate.

Experience is an important aspect when hiring, but it’s not everything. You will get the best results from hiring a graduate when they have a real interest in the position, a standout work ethic and an eagerness to improve.

4. Rarely cha llenging them

You have to challenge them! Once these recent grads get bored of the same thing – they will want to leave and explore a more challenging and rewarding position. It’s a need that has to be fulfilled.

If the job fails to challenge, then the interest in the job will eventually fizzle out.

Give them tasks that take them out of their comfort zone, and give them projects that they can lead themselves. Continuously challenge them so that they want to stay and build a future with you.

5. Assuming they always want to leave

Listen, there’s a lot of truth to the fact that graduates and even older millennials enjoy change, especially when it comes to employment. They want to try out different things and see what interests them the most.

But a lot of organizations assume that this is fact and think that you can’t employ a graduate for the long-run. Did you ever think it’s because, as we mentioned before, you’re not challenging them enough or offering them constant development?

Don’t just assume graduates are short-term employees, if you want them to stay then try to avoid the simple mistakes listed in this article and build a future for the very best young talent in your company.