by Alli Hill
You don't always realize how difficult the hiring process can be until you're the one on the decision-making side of the desk. Before I joined the winonhold.com team, I was the HR manager for a major mass merchandise retail store, and filling jobs that required little skill and paid minimum wage or slightly better proved more challenging than I anticipated. Long story short: I quickly realized the difference between hiring people and hiring the right people.
One of my best hiring decisions was a guy named Kyle. He just graduated college about 6 months before, had zero work experience, no long-term goals, and just wanted to find a part-time job to fill in his resume. I almost didn't hire him. Within five months, Kyle had earned a pay raise and promotion to a full time leadership position, and is still enjoying his job nearly two years later.
Because of Kyle and others like him, I've learned never to underestimate the potential of a new college grad, and here's why:
- They're excited to get started somewhere. It's not always easy for a new college graduate to find work in their field of study right away. Often they find themselves in the Catch-22 of not being eligible for a job because they don't have the required experience, but can't get experience without finding a job... and so on. If you're willing to give them the chance, they'll be too enthusiastic to let you down.
- They tend to have a higher work ethic. Many college grads feel they have something to prove right after graduation, and they're ready to jump in with both feet and make the most of that expensive piece of paper emblazoned with their name. They tend to realize that, as the new guy with no experience, they're the low man on the totem pole, and will be much more willing to do things the way you want instead of a "seasoned" candidate who may resort to doing things the way they've always done them.
- They're not complacent. Most of us don't graduate college and immediately acquire the exact position and salary we desire. It's a work-in-progress for many, starting at the bottom (or close to it) and working your way up. College kids don't go to college to maintain an entry-level job for the rest of their lives: they want to further their career, and most are willing to work hard to make it happen.
- They want (and need) to work. Have you seen the average cost of education and expenses at a typical four-year university lately? According to CNN, Class of 2013 graduates average $35,200 in debt. Suffice it to say, figures like that put plenty of motivation on new graduates to find a good job after college. Once they find a decent job, they won't be too quick to leave it, not with a mountain of financial responsibility like that on their shoulders.
So, what else should you look for when building the right team for your business? I've got a few ideas coming your way in our next newsletter. Stay in touch!
