What are the Best Practices for Hiring Interns and Freshers | Arti Chopra | Senior VP and Head HR | AdGlobal360 India Pvt. Ltd
In today’s competitive landscape, where everyone is running at breakneck speed, it has become a challenge for businesses to stand out. Having some innovative, game-changing ideas is not enough until there is a passionate team working hard to turn them into reality. The importance of attracting and retaining the right talent cannot be overstated. It is not only required to keep up with rapidly evolving times but to always ensure maximum profitability. Every organization needs a bunch of people who can bring some fresh perspective and take it to new heights of success. This is why the overall hiring intent for freshers has increased from 61% to 68% [source].
Hiring for higher managerial roles is relatively easier, as you already know what to look for in a candidate. However, things get a little trickier when it comes to finding freshers or interns of the right caliber. According to a recent survey, more than 89% of Indian youth prefer an internship before applying for a full-time job. So, employers can get lost in the sea of options, with so many candidates vying for their attention. Companies must leverage the current situation and increase their talent pool.
Here’s how businesses can come up with a well-defined hiring strategy for both job roles and create a growth-centric environment across the organization:
For Interns
Determine the Goals
Internship programs are designed to offer real-world learning experiences to candidates who have either recently graduated or are about to complete their college degrees. An employer should start by creating a structured learning experience for them with professional mentorship. This not only helps the candidates gain hands-on skills but also allows them to create a strong network.
Plan Thoroughly
The next step is to plan out the specifics of the program, such as the duration, departments to be involved, projects and tasks to be handled, etc. This will not only give an understanding of what the program will look like and what it aims to achieve.
Establish an Evaluation Process
Another important thing is to identify what is expected of a candidate and then create a screening process accordingly. Having a fair and transparent evaluation process enables unbiased decisions.
For Freshers
Find the Right Recruitment Method
The very first thing is to understand who the best candidates for an entry-level job are and where to find them.
• Educational Institutions: Students who are about to complete their formal college education are probably best suited for these roles. So, getting in touch with some reputed educational institutes can help businesses acquire some good talent.
• Social Media: Nowadays, everyone spends a good amount of time on social media. So, making a strong presence on these platforms can also help companies reach potential candidates.
• Referral Programs: There is no denying the fact that friends make great co-workers. Companies can find some great candidates with the help of a referral program where their existing employees can help with the hiring process.
Define a Job Description
A detailed job description outlines all the must-have skills for an ideal candidate and the things that he/she will be responsible for. It gives the potential candidate enough clarity about the employer’s expectations.
Formulate Processes for Knowledge Transfer and Skill Building
Hiring freshers means investing a tangible amount of time to inculcate key job responsibilities, getting them acclimatized to the work environment, and honing their job-specific skills. Along with all this, you must have initiatives in place that help freshers understand the company culture better.
The task of hiring interns and freshers may look routine on the face of it, but if this is to be done right, then there must be a strategic approach in place with clear SOPs so that such hiring is a good fit for organizations.