How have the expectations of young graduates changed after the pandemic? What are the determining criteria for attracting them? As a shortage of talent affects companies, iCIMS has taken an interest in the needs of young graduates in recent years.
Young graduates entering the job market in 2022 have experienced two years of pandemic. These have completely turned practices upside down, both in the world of higher education and in businesses. Beyond causing fear among employees or candidates, COVID has led to major developments in terms of work flexibility, balance between professional and personal life, but also in terms of teleworking.
This COVID crisis is also accompanied by an increasingly growing awareness in society: global warming must be fought at all costs. As a result, the ecological and societal commitment of companies is one of the concerns of candidates when applying for a new job.
Post-COVID recruitment: Graduates worried about their professional integration
Thus, iCIMS Talent Cloud, an organization specializing in recruitment solutions, conducted a survey of several hundred French graduates, between 2020 and 2022, in order to find out more about their expectations, but also their vision of the job market. The iCIMS study is also based on interviews carried out with 500 professionals in the HR world.
The first element that emerges is a strong concern about their professional integration. In fact, 46% of them say they want to do an additional internship to gain experience. 27% of those questioned even said they wanted to obtain another diploma after leaving school. Furthermore, the study shows that 17% of French students have chosen to choose another sector. In the United States, this figure rises to 47%. Entrepreneurship retains its letters of nobility. 16% of respondents say they want to start their own business after their studies. 16% also want to take a humanitarian trip.
The students were also asked how they stand out in interviews. 27% say that the CV and cover letter are important and 30% mention soft skills. In the United States, 45% of American students consider that experience is the most important criterion to stand out.
Changing expectations among post-COVID graduates
Unsurprisingly, the sense of their missions and the values of the company are among the determining criteria for young graduates of the COVID generation. In fact, 31% say that these subjects are their main expectations when applying for a job offer.
Opportunities for professional development (29%), as well as benefits (28%), are among the most important concerns among young graduates entering the job market. Flexibility is also key for these new generations. 24% are very attentive on the subject. On the other hand, employees remain rather loyal. In fact, only 16% admit to wanting to resign in the event that a better opportunity presents itself to them.
Today, teleworking is of course at the center of the concerns of young post-COVID graduates. In the United States, a large proportion of business school graduates indicated that they would not apply for positions where teleworking is not possible. According to the iCIMS survey, 6 out of 10 people surveyed said they would like their employer to allow its employees to carry out their missions partly by teleworking.
Salary is much less important, but it is a key criterion. Today, the average salary requested by students leaving Grandes Écoles and universities is around €33,000 per year, for a first position. This figure of course increases depending on the studies followed by the graduates interviewed.
Personalization: The secret of recruiting new generations
New generations want an increasingly personalized experience, whether in recruitment or in business. They also favor support and support in terms of mental health. 36% want to talk about it freely.
In terms of recruitment, impersonal messages have less and less impact on candidates. As iCIMS recruiters explain, “ candidates want to be able to identify with a company through authentic speech “.
Personalization also involves career support. Opportunities for professional development are decisive for candidates. “ It is essential to give employees the opportunity to develop within your company rather than systematically looking for new profiles outside. Internal mobility tools, such as internal job boards and skills development programs, help to create this dynamic of employee progression and internal recruitment. », Specifies the iCIMS study.
