National Staffing and Recruiting Firm Publishes Report on What 2016 College Graduates Are Looking for in Work
CHICAGO (August 26, 2016) – Based on original data, LaSalle Network, a national staffing and recruiting firm, recently published a white paper on what the 2016 graduating class wants in a job, and how companies can hire the best from this class.
In spring of 2016, LaSalle Network surveyed 13,000 recent and soon-to-be college graduates on their job-search process. The white paper, “What the Class of 2016 Wants” highlights the survey and findings, as well as research from various top publications and reports.
“There is a stereotype about millennials wanting to work from home and many employers don’t understand what it takes to truly motivate this group,” said Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of LaSalle Network. “This report shows what the graduating class is looking for in a role and a company.”
Top findings include:
College grads start looking for jobs early.
- 70 percent of unemployed recent grads began their search three months or more prior to graduation
- 63 percent of employed grads began their search three months or more prior to graduation
Grads want growth, not remote work.
- Recent graduates rated opportunities for growth as the most important quality in a position, and ranked the ability to work from home last
Recent graduates are open to a variety of industries.
- When respondents were asked which industries they targeted during their job search, the second most popular response was “any industry that would hire me”
Many recent graduates don’t have realistic salary expectations.
- 42 percent of survey respondents are making less money than they had expected
- Only 25 percent of survey respondents are making more money than they had expected in their current positions
Recent graduates are flexible when it comes to the type of position.
- 60 percent of respondents are open to taking some form of a temporary role
- Of those open to temporary work, 39 percent of respondents said they would only consider temporary-to-permanent positions
Tips for businesses and hiring managers:
- Start recruiting recent graduates early. If you don’t, you risk losing top talent to other companies, because they’re starting to look for jobs early.
- Don’t rely on fancy perks and telecommuting to attract talent. Recent graduates are looking to grow their career and be challenged professionally, so show that in the hiring process.
- You don’t have to be in a sexy industry to attract top talent. Focus on showcasing internal promotions and different career development opportunities available instead.
- Be prepared to educate recent graduates on what a more realistic salary looks like for their role. Do the research, and do it often because the market moves and changes fast.
- Utilize temporary-to-permanent positions as a test run for recent graduates to see if they’re the right long-term fit for your company and that your company is the right long-term fit for them.
To learn more about “What the Class of 2016 Wants,” download our white paper by clicking here.
For more information on LaSalle Network, please visit lasallenetwork.com or contact Heather Youkhana at 312-496-6562, or hyoukhana@lasallenetwork.com.
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About LaSalle Network
LaSalle Network is a leading provider of professional staffing and recruiting services with business units that specialize in accounting and finance, technology, administrative, call center, human resources, marketing, executive search, supply chain, and healthcare revenue cycle. Since its inception, LaSalle has worked with thousands of clients and placed thousands of candidates in temporary, temporary-to-permanent and permanent positions. LaSalle Network has been listed on Inc. Magazine’s 500/5000 “Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in America” list for 10 consecutive years, named by Staffing Industry Analysts’ as a top five “Best Staffing Firms to Work For” from 2011 to 2016, Glassdoor’s 2016 “Best Places to Work,” Inc. Magazine’s 2016 “50 Best Workplaces,” and Crain’s Chicago Business’ “Best Places to Work” list from 2014 to 2016. The firm has offices in downtown Chicago, Arlington Heights, Oak Brook and San Francisco. For more information, please call 312-419-1700 or visit www.lasallenetwork.com.
