---
title: Hiring Graduates is Getting Competitive—Here’s How to Stand Out
description: During recruitment companies should think of college students the same way sports teams do—a way to replenish the ranks and look toward the future.
---

[Berkshire Blog ](https://www.berkshireassociates.com/blog)

# [Hiring Graduates is Getting Competitive—Here’s How to Stand Out](https://www.berkshireassociates.com/blog/hiring-graduates-is-getting-competitive-heres-how-to-stand-out)

 Written by [Berkshire](https://www.berkshireassociates.com/blog/author/berkshire) | April 26 2016

May is quickly approaching which means a new class of college graduates is penning the finishing touches to their résumés. Companies should think of college students the same way major sports teams do—a way to replenish the ranks and look toward the future.

Apparently, many businesses are already doing just that. CareerBuilder found 67 percent of employers reported they will be [focusing their recruiting efforts on hiring recent graduates](http://thehiringsite.careerbuilder.com/2016/04/21/hiring-forecast-new-graduates-highest-nearly-decade/)—the highest mark in 10 years. So, with the cat out of the bag, how will you help your company [stand out of the crowd](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/how_to_make_your_job_posting_pop) to find the next elite talent?

**Don’t stay local**  
 A mistake many employers may make is solely recruiting candidates who are local. An AccountingWeb survey found 77 percent of new graduates [wouldn’t mind relocating for their first job](http://www.accountingweb.com/practice/team/10-tips-for-hiring-college-graduates). Holding your recruitment practices to a small region won’t give you [all the options available](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/do-your-job-postings-reach-your-target-demographic)—don’t be afraid to cast a wider net.

While college fairs serve as an excellent method to cultivate interest in your company, AccountingWeb suggests you should offer live chats and other means of correspondence to stay in touch with those who have found your company, but aren’t in the area to interview.

*“Though they’re similar, training allots for a bigger learning curve.”*

**Offer training instead of internship**  
 CareerBuilder found 47 percent of employers believe recent college graduates have done their part in the classroom but still have a lot to accomplish when it comes to real-world learning. This is a true statement across the board—many students just leaving college haven’t had the time to find a job in their field. Those who have are probably going to sign on with the company that gave them the internship if a spot is available.

So, what does that leave you? A number of slightly under-qualified, yet extremely motivated candidates all vying for a position in your company. Many are past their internship phase and are now looking for a paid job. In this sense, [your company can stand out from the crowd](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/two-important-recruiting-trends-for-2016) by offering training instead of an internship. That way candidates still make a living wage, and their skills are cultivated under your methods and procedures—rather than somewhere else.

**Be everywhere at once**  
 AccountingWeb found 49 percent of college students use job search engines, another 11 percent use job boards, and 12 percent use the [company’s career website](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/make-a-great-first-impression-three-necessities-for-your-career-page) when looking for employment. This means you can cast the widest net by posting your [job listing on every major website](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/how_to_make_your_job_posting_pop). To do this effectively, you need an applicant tracking system (ATS) to [manage the process](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/five-advantages-of-an-applicant-tracking-system).

[An ATS can be deployed](http://www.balancetrak.com/system-features/#integrated-services) across all job boards, search engines, and your career website to allow for a streamlined, automated application review process. It will [identify key candidates](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/why_keyword_search_for_resumes_is_the) as their résumés come in, allowing the system to send out an email to begin the recruitment process right away. [This lets you focus](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-hr-professionals-and-hiring-software) more of your energy on [interviewing candidates](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/four-questions-to-ask-yourself-when-hiring-college-graduates), rather than reading résumés all day long.

Use these tips to help your company stand out from the crowd and you’ll have your [college graduate dream team](https://info.berkshireassociates.com/balanceview/four-questions-to-ask-yourself-when-hiring-college-graduates) in no time.

[View full post](https://www.berkshireassociates.com/blog/hiring-graduates-is-getting-competitive-heres-how-to-stand-out)

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