Why hello, mid-summer! Yes you are hot, and your Disneyland queues are ridiculously long. But you also bring good news, at least if you’re a company looking to hire: recent college grads are returning from their beach vacations and adventures abroad. That post-education elation is out of their system, and they’re ready to find a long-term home for their talent. Wouldn’t it be great if they settled in at your company?

Make it easy for these talented college grads to find you through:

• Brand recognition. Just as summer grass is seeded in the spring, grabbing the best of these budding professionals means planting your brand’s seed early. That way, college grads will be thinking of you when it’s time to look for a job. Share your brand early with a booth at campus career fairs. Send key professionals from different departments, such as Art and Marketing and Human Resources, to chat with students. Your staff can also volunteer to speak on campus, so consider reaching out to the appropriate programs at your local colleges. Your company can also sponsor campus events to get your name out there.
• Solid internship opportunities. Internships are the win-win investment of the college recruitment world—just look at big guns Google and Facebook. Motivated young people earn valuable experience, while your company gets a head start investing in future employees. It’s important to offer a meaningful internship opportunity, complete with relevant experience and mentoring, to show how your company values its employees at all levels. Stuffing your interns in the archive room won’t do your company image any favors!
• Attractive benefits. Recent college grads want instant gratification, flexibility, and importance—retirement is something their grandparents do. To market the benefits that appeal to young workers, focus on flex schedules, telecommuting options, work-life balance, and employee recognition. Showcase what they need to feel fulfilled in the workplace, and college grads will come!
• Engaging social media. Social recruiting is a powerful and affordable tool to engage recent grads. While Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus all remain popular choices, clever companies also recruit via Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr. Not every social media site will be a fit with your company’s goals, but think about how you might adapt these alternative platforms to fit your recruitment strategy.

Now you’re ready to invite top-notch grads to make a home at your company by autumn! And recruiting college graduates is just one prong of a comprehensive recruitment plan. That’s where we come in. With our recruitment and retention guidance, YES! Your Human Resources Solution can help optimize your search for today’s hottest talent, and evaluate ways to retain top performers. Let us steer your human resources strategies so you can focus on driving business results! Visit our website or contact us for a free consultation.