Campus Recruiting – A New Reality

If you’ve been recruiting lately, you’re acutely aware of the labour shortage and challenges of hiring people to fill your needs. As a microcosm of the marketplace, our Business Career Services office suffers from the same challenges in meeting the supply to the increased demand for skilled labour.

We hear from employers…

“I’ve posted this job for 5 years and always had 20+ responses. Why did I only get three this time?”

“Nobody’s replying to my posting? What am I doing wrong?”

The answer is…nothing! Let’s look at the changes that have occurred over the past year.

The Alberta School of Business usually graduates approximately 550-600 students each year. So the “supply” side of the equation has remained fixed.  However, the number of postings has increased by 33% over the same time period last year. Since 2003 the number of postings has increased by 46%! Co-op postings are up 42% from prior year. Since we already have a 90% employment rate, the availability of students is reduced simply by the supply-demand equation. 

Other factors have impacted the interest level of students to determine their employer of choice. Last year we had 35 Corporate Information Sessions, literally one a day, and sometimes two a day, for a month.  Students can’t possibly attend them all, so they pick their spots in determining their priorities.

What can I do?

There are a few things you can do to be successful in the increased competitive marketplace for recruiting quality students. 

  1. Post early – The sooner you post, the larger the pool of talent available for you to consider.  However, balancing that with being too soon may result in no one seeing your posting.  We recommend three to four months to be ample time for the recruiting process. 
  2. Be Realistic and Thorough in your Job Description – Vague embellished job postings will not attract the talent you are looking for.  Be specific as to duties and qualifications.  
  3. Coordinate an Information Session with an actual Job Posting – If students want to compete for a specific opportunity within your organization, they are more apt to attend an Information Session. Holding one for the sake of selling yourself as employer of choice will not resonate with students. Here are some tips in planning your Information Session: 

    Choose a venue that allows theatre style seating
     
    Clearly set out your objectives and agenda for the session
     
    Do NOT serve alcohol – not necessary and distracting.  However, pizza, pop, cookies etc. are all good.
       
    Bring people who can speak to the skill sets of the posting. Ensure your speakers are well-coached for your message.Also, bring recent grads so students can talk to them one-on-one about their experience with your organization. Allow for mingling time. 

    Clarify application process. Referring students to the website will not be helpful. 
  4. Accept the New Reality – Accept the fact that not all students will be interested in you, and that a small gathering of keen students is better than a large gathering of “tire kickers”.