Why graduates are transient and not looking for a career

Every year graduates flood into the talent pool searching for the right roles, but understanding how graduates think and what attracts them to a role, will help the attrition rates in organisations. So, are graduates more concerned with work flexibility and personal development opportunities than the prospect of a long career?
Graduates are very much focused towards the “now”. Although they are keen to be able to see long-term development prospects, they are often unsure as to which area they want to explore. Fewer graduates are pursuing a job related to their degree when they leave university and use university to tick the “graduate” box. Often due to uncertainty over their long-term goals, they are focused on the next two -three years. There are plenty of opportunities for graduates to choose from, so although some graduate schemes can be oversubscribed, more and more organisations are recognising the value in hiring graduates. As well as graduate priorities changing, employers’ priorities are changing too; they aren’t expecting to hold onto their graduates for the long term.
The existing job market has affected the way graduates tackle their first steps into full time employment due to the buoyant nature of the type of job opportunities that become available; with unemployment at a low, graduates have plenty of opportunities to explore and may be more passive in their job hunt compared to previous generations, as adding their details to a job board and letting the employer come to them with an offer, can sometimes do the trick.
Graduates seeking employment and not looking to use their degree could lead to them to entering into a role that isn’t suitable. Without looking too far into the future, how are graduates supposed to know if the job they have landed is worth the hours it takes to make sure it is right for them? Businesses are facing so much change in the current market that they are thinking on a short-term basis rather than retaining young employees that can be moulded into seasoned veterans of their business.
However, before entering into the workplace, employers are looking to graduates to make a lasting impression when beginning their new job. Schools and universities are offering more and more career focused sessions in order to better prepare the younger generation for employment. However, the amount these skills are being utilised by some graduates may not be transferrable into their new workplace. Making sure your graduate has taken ownership for their own upskilling to ensure their skills are continually being developed, is beneficial to getting the most out of your new employee.
Balancing the personal with the professional is becoming more important for new workers looking for the right working environment. This can differ from person-to-person, as we know that everyone wants different things out of their workplace. A lot of graduates are focused on performance culture within their place of work and want to be rewarded and recognised for working hard. Graduate roles often don’t offer this with lower pay and some staff feel undervalued. Workplace perks are continually being glamorised within the media, unlimited holiday, flexible working hours, or working from home has become a must for some graduates, upping the ante for employers to offer all they can to attract and retain the best candidates. 
Human Resources departments within most companies offer a support system to all employees, something a new graduate might be thankful for if they are finding themselves in a fast-paced office environment for the first time. A HR Practitioner should aim to focus employers on attracting talent early on in their recruiting process. Making your company known at career fairs and at universities or schools or offering work experience and internships, can give you the edge when attracting new talent. In an ideal world students would be told by their university or college why work experience is important, unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and the employer should also be proactively approaching schools and universities as early as they can accommodate. This will focus the graduates on a particular career path and company earlier on in their studies, rather than accepting the first graduate scheme they are offered.
Graduates may be seen as transient, however, creating a desirable working environment that stands for growth will attract the best candidates, as well as encourage them to stay with your company for the long haul. Graduates may be looking to explore different jobs in order to find their career, but listening to the applicants and your current staff while making the relevant changes within your business, will make you a stand out employer.
If you are looking to hire a graduate, please get in touch with one of our consultants today to discuss your requirements. 
Alice Plisnier
Senior Manager, Page Personnel 
T: 01179065156