How to Attract + Retain Early Talent | August 2024 Roundtable Recap

TeamKC Roundtables bring together a network of HR and recruiting professionals to discuss relevant topics. This month, recruitment professionals in the TeamKC network gathered at H&R Block to discuss best practices regarding early talent recruitment and retention. 

THE HIGHLIGHTS

• Gen Z prefers in-person/hybrid work environments over fully remote. Face-to-face interactions and hands-on learning help build skills and connections. (For more talent trends, check out TeamKC’s Scouting Report.)

• Intentional programming gets talent plugged into opportunities to grow within a company. Taking a proactive, development approach is more effective than a reactive, hiring approach.

• Building strong relationships at colleges provides value to the school, students and employers. Consistent communication breeds creativity. 

THE DETAILS

• Be Intentional with Interns

  • A common sourcing strategy is to recruit interns from colleges,  then transition successful interns to entry-level roles. This process instills a sense of job security, an increasingly growing concern for early career talent.
    
    Pro Tip: Get your interns plugged into TeamKC’s intern programming to showcase all that KC has to offer and build peer connections that last a lifetime. Check out TeamKC’s 2024 summer intern season.

  • Early career talent values a flexible work environment over strictly in-person or remote work. Giving autonomy to employees is increasingly widely used and more sought after by talent. 

  • A common practice for larger intern groups is rotational programs — introducing interns to different departments for a short period of time in rotations, then letting them choose what they enjoyed most to start their full-time role. 

• Invest in Talent Development 

  • Providing multiple opportunities for mentorship increases the likelihood of authentic connection. Interns and recent grads can be connected to alumni of that college, giving them a direct connection to a company. Another option is to connect interns to established professionals, creating a mentor relationship that will make it more likely for them to stay. 

  • Empower employees to learn and grow. Giving talent avenues to explore career paths at your company allows them to plan their future and grow their career without leaving the company. Consider internal career fairs to foster career path exploration.

  • Transparency, honesty and personal connection are deeply important to professionals early in their career. They feel more connected to companies and mentors that exemplify these values. 

• Build Your On-Campus Connections

  • Tabling at college career fairs is one of many ways to connect with early career talent. Contact career services for menus of options for collaboration and relationship building on campus.. 

  • Know what sets your company apart from competitors and share that with potential candidates. Sharing a clear employer value proposition is crucial to early talent decisions. 

  • Having student ambassadors on local campuses maintains the connection between a company and the university. These students can also accompany recruiters at career fairs and events for peer connection. 

Thank you H&R Block for hosting!

Contact TeamKC to join the network to be a part of the conversation and take your talent attraction and retention efforts to the next level.