Why hiring freshers could be the right strategy
When it comes to hiring, every organisation has a different strategy. While some prefer to hire experienced candidates, some invest in new talent, and others hire a mix of both. Many companies are often hesitant to hire freshers, given they don't have much experience or expertise. Hiring freshers translates into more investment from the employer's end in training them. Some of the significant concerns among employers include the lack of professionalism in freshers and the absence of relevant skill sets and experience. Furthermore, they may need validation of skills, and the company will have to invest time and effort to make them job-ready.
While as an employer, the concerns are valid but today, hiring freshers is not the same as a decade ago. Nowadays, freshers come with a particular experience through their internship periods. They are comparatively professional and have an idea about working in a corporate setup.
Apart from freshers being more focused than before and having a clarity of thought, here are other reasons that make hiring them a great strategy:
They bring fresh perspectives and ideas
Freshers are recent college graduates. They are filled with enthusiasm and are eager to prove their mettle. They are quick learners, and it isn't as challenging to train them as you may expect. Freshers bring new energy to the team, fresh perspectives, and thought processes. They have innovative ideas to share and are more than keen on executing those ideas.
It is especially true for creative profiles like social media marketing and design. The freshers spend a decent amount of time on multiple social media platforms. Therefore, they are well-acquainted with the latest trends. They have a strong presence across online platforms and apps. It indicated they would have insights regarding the user experience and user interface.
Benefits in the long run
If you are a recruiter, you understand how challenging it is to find the right fit. It is more difficult to find people for senior and leadership roles. Hiring freshers and recognizing and honing their talent will help you in the longer run. They will turn into valuable assets who understand the culture and vision well. They can help in filling senior and leadership roles in the future. And, we can all agree that someone who has been an essential part of the company for a long time would have better prospects of leading the other team members.
They are tech-savvy
It is imperative to be familiar with the technology in today's digital age. The outbreak of Covid-19 has catalysed the need to be more comfortable with technology. With freshers, you don't have to worry whether they are familiar with the technology or not. Youngsters have grown up with technology. Moreover, they have spent an entire year studying or interning online. In today's virtual working environment, these aspirants will be a perfect fit, given they are already comfortable functioning through virtual means. Hence, it will save your time and effort in training them in new tech.
Validated skill-set with experience
Yes, you heard it right. The fresh job seekers have found a way around the paradox of requiring work experience to bag an entry-level job. It is called internships. The student community has become more aware and spends a relevant amount of time pursuing internships during college to gain new skills, validate their existing skills, gain hands-on work experience, and explore multiple fields. Freshers who start early often have multiple meaningful experiences to their credit. These job seekers have worked in professional environments and are professional.
(The author is the Founder and CEO of Internshala, the career-tech platform (internshala.com)