Recruiters' criteria for freshers

Besides being able to be moulded into the company setup, the first-time employees will have different perspectives on life and will be able to contribute new, innovative and fresh ideas. Here's how the fresh graduates can ace their way into their first job

Hiring fresh graduates straight out of the universities without a work experience is nothing new to recruiters. It's an exciting prospect for the graduates, but the thrill of job-seeking is often hounded by self-doubt and lack of confidence of no prior experience. A lot of job postings emphasise prior experience as an advantage, making it difficult for freshers without experience to take the first steps of their careers.
There's no reason to fear. Hiring fresh graduates has its own advantage for the companies because the candidates are ambitious, tech-savvy, and updated with the latest trends. But the newbies have to also show professionalism, respect, and learn about soft skills needed in the workplace.

To help you prepare better for your first job-seeking experience, it pays to know the things recruiters look for among fresh grads:
Schools: There are often reports listing down the schools companies prioritise when hiring fresh graduates, but why do they have these preferences in the first place? It all comes down to the quality of the programme that schools offer. Perhaps one school has a better programme with an intensive curriculum. Some schools might even showcase excellence in a particular programme. For most recruiters, fresh graduates who underwent these programmes are equipped with more knowledge and better skills.
Achievements: Significant achievements, or even extracurricular activities, during your school days, are no small feats. These indicate a promising employee armed with skills that may come useful. There's really no such thing as fresh graduates without experience. Even a simple fundraising student campaign counts as experience and this tells a lot about a fresh graduate.
Internships: Internship programmes provide a taste of what it's like to be a professional in the real world. Recruiters, however, aren't likely to look at which company your internship took place. Rather, they would want to know how you did during this period, as it helps them gauge a candidate's attitude and problem-solving skills.
Interpersonal Skills: A recent survey revealed a growing preference for interpersonal skills among fresh graduates. In an increasingly competitive market, companies are placing higher importance on fostering teamwork among their employees. Candidates who have a solid grasp on their interpersonal or communication skills would be a perfect fit, as they can better work with other people. This is something companies definitely look out for while hiring fresh graduates without experience.
Actual Skills: At the end of the day, employers look for candidates who can perform a particular role, especially if it involves technical stuff. Expect prospective employers to give you a test to see how extensive your knowledge actually is. Aspiring web developers, for instance, should expect to have their knowledge on Java, C++, or HTML put to the test.
Grades: There is a common belief among university students that they have to study hard attempting to earn high grades because employers are targeting graduates with out-standing academic records. However, this idea does not seem to capture what is actually happening in organizations, as firms value more aspects related with personality and other personal qualities of young graduates.
Ambition: To many, it may sound unrelated to your job requirements when hiring fresh grads. But the underlying factor here is that ambition is a measure of greater things beyond doing the job. Fresh graduates might not know yet about the things that they want to do in life. And if they realise this sooner, this could indicate a strong sense of determination.

- Source: Kand.io
 

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