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Why are Start-Ups employing graduates to grow their business?

• February 19, 2021

Graduate recruitment can be a successful and proving strategy for any firm seeking a competitive advantage, in particular for start-ups.

Graduates can bring a lot of valuable qualities to a role. As a start-up it is understandable that you may be slightly apprehensive about hiring someone straight out of university, however all hires have an element of risk to them and there are a lot of advantages of hiring graduates. Graduates have been previously drawn to larger organisations but in the past few years, start-ups have seized the attention of graduates.

Below are our top 5 reasons why you should hire graduates at your start-up:

1. They are enthusiastic and eager to learn – graduates bring bounds of energy and enthusiasm to the workplace and this is something that you are likely to not get from an employee in the later stages of their career. Studies have shown that millennials want to climb the career ladder much faster than previous generations. Hiring graduates can bring a sense of urgency and eagerness within your start-up.

2. It isn’t costly – graduates won’t be expecting an extortionately high salary, but once employed they can be trained into effective members of your team. For the most part, graduates have been living on minimal loans and weekend jobs, so any annual income will be a step up. A typical graduate level salary ranges from £19,000 - £23,000.

3. Bring a fresh perspective – graduates will bring a fresh set of eyes to your start-up and also add a new opinion for you to consider when making business decisions, if required. They have spent the last 3-4 years learning various critical thinking skills and can be quite inquisitive. Furthermore, as a start-up, having younger staff can be advantageous when trying to keep up with current cultural trends.

4. They are tech savvy – today’s graduates have grown up surrounded by technology and developed the ability to pick up new tools quickly. This puts them in a great position to learn how to use new software quickly. Furthermore, they are likely to have a proficient understanding of social media, which can boost your company’s presence; this is significant for start-ups.

5. They are a ‘blank canvas’ – straight out of university, with minimal work experience, graduates are like sponges who will absorb all of the new information that you feed them. With a range of transferrable skills under their belt, paired with continuous development and training provided by the company, graduates can be moulded towards future managerial roles within your start-up. This means that as your business grows, they can grow with it.

If you are looking to hire a top calibre graduate then please visit www.thegraduateproject.co.uk and get in touch via 0207 043 4629 or recruitment@thegraduateproject.co.uk and one of our specialist consultants will be happy to help. If you are a graduate looking for your breakthrough role, then please take a look at the available positions we are currently recruiting for on our website.

By Anirudh Nair