Graduates. Early talent. Entry-level hires. Let’s be honest, hiring graduates can be a bit of a mixed bag.
On one hand, they’re full of energy, ideas and curiosity. On the other, they’re navigating their first proper job search in a world that feels more uncertain and overwhelming than ever.
At Artfully, we work with a lot of brands who hire grads in bulk – think care, logistics, retail, education. We’ve seen what works well, what completely falls flat, and everything in between.
So we thought we’d share a few things we’ve learned.
First up, today’s grads aren’t who you think
Forget the tired stereotypes. Today’s graduates aren’t just looking for beanbags, social committees or “fast-paced environments”. They want to know if your business can offer real growth. Can you give them stability? Can you show them a clear path forward? Can they actually learn something useful on the job?
Also, let’s not forget – this generation has been through it. A pandemic. Constant talk of AI taking jobs. Rising living costs. They’re entering the workforce with their eyes wide open. So your graduate strategy? It has to feel honest. Practical. Thoughtful. Not fluffy.
What keeps going wrong in graduate hiring
We hear the same complaints again and again. And spoiler alert: it’s usually not about the candidates.
Here are a few common issues:
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Long-winded application processes.
If you’re making someone apply on a job board, then redirecting them to your site, then asking them to upload a CV and manually input every line of it… they’re probably not finishing that application.
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Radio silence.
Grads get ghosted a lot. Sometimes it’s systems, sometimes it’s a backlog. But for them, it just feels like rejection. And that sticks.
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Disjointed onboarding.
Joining your first job is daunting. If the onboarding is patchy, impersonal or just confusing, you’ll lose people before they’ve even got going.
So, what actually works?
Here’s what we’ve seen make a difference:
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Understand what grads want – for real.
Different sectors attract different mindsets. A childcare grad is going to care about something very different to someone applying to a logistics role. Start there.
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Use the platforms that make sense.
Whether it’s TikTok, Indeed, Meta or uni job boards – be where they are. But be targeted. Tailor your content to the platform and the audience.
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Make applying feel easy.
Direct Apply. Clear instructions. No hoops to jump through. They’re applying to loads of jobs – don’t give them a reason to ditch yours.
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Rethink onboarding.
This doesn’t need to be fancy. A welcome video. A buddy. A plan for the first month. The small stuff really matters here.
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Track the right things.
Time-to-fill is useful, but it’s not everything. Are they staying? Are they learning? Are they progressing? That’s the stuff that shows if it’s actually working.
Graduate hiring doesn’t need a complete overhaul – but it does need to grow up a bit.
This generation of early-career talent is smart, switched on and looking for more than just a paycheck. If we respect their time, understand where they’re coming from and give them a clear reason to care, they’ll show up and they’ll stay.
Let’s make graduate hiring smarter, together.
