Graduate Recruitment in Asia: 4 Must Know Trends to Help Your 2019 Campaign

With technologies advancing and graduate numbers increasing year on year, it’s important for graduate employers to stay on top of industry data and trends. Hiring intentions remain strong in the Asia Pacific region, which means competition for skilled graduates remains the primary challenge for most graduate employers.

We’ve collated the statistics from our own student surveys and industry associations and put together the top 4 graduate recruitment trends to support your 2019 recruitment campaign.

1. More graduates are reneging

Last year we surveyed our graduate members about their recruitment experiences and employment expectations.

Of the candidates we surveyed, 17% admitted they reneged on a graduate role after they had accepted. This is an increase on the previous year, where only 13% reneged on offers.

When measuring intention, 63% admitted they would renege on an offer if a better one came along.

What to focus on

With almost 1 in 5 candidates declining a role after they’d accepted, and many more willing to renege for a better opportunity – employers should be paying closer attention to their recruitment process and graduate value proposition (GVP).

Aim for a more student-centric attraction strategy.

Better communicate your GVP (and consistently) via your website, social media, forums, careers fairs, at our 2019 Returnee Summit, and face to face.

Enhance your employee onboarding program, increasing connection and communication from contract signing.

2. More internships led to graduate offers

Graduate employers are targeting top talent earlier than the final year of study in an attempt to beat competition. We saw a 47% increase in the number of interns accepting offers into the ensuing graduate program.

What to focus on:

Connect with potential graduates earlier than Careers Fairs, which for some is during their final year of study. Consider partnering with your local university to provide a course-related internship program, introduce a summer vacation program, or target university job boards for your entry-level and part-time opportunities to get their feet in your door earlier.

3. Social media

The way employers use social media is changing, moving away from a static job announcement board to be more inclusive and conversation-focused. We’re seeing more employers emphasise relationships, engagement, and storytelling, especially with their use of live video.

What to focus on:

Younger candidates rely on social media for its original purpose – social connection. Always approach your use of social from this mindset – how can I better connect with talent on an informal, social level? Consider live FAQs with recruiters or former graduates, live streaming an open house or interview prep workshop to maximise interest.

4. Enhancing content – words vs video

In our candidate survey, we asked graduates which employer-generated content they found most engaging online.

Contrary to popular belief, graduates actually find your written information, that is your blogs and website, the most useful and engaging. Video closely follows; that is your pre-recorded explainer videos, as the next most valued content. Words and video were rated two times more valuable than images, memes, and short-form stories (Snapchat).

What to focus on:

We suggest giving your website copy a spring clean to ensure it is current, accurate, and valuable, and incorporate an authentic video about your grads and opportunities. Your web content should clearly articulate your GVP and graduate program requirements, ensuring any frequently asked questions are addressed. By being upfront and transparent about your workplace culture and benefits, you’re more likely to set grad expectations and limit the potential for reneging later on.

Is GradConnection part of your 2019 graduate attraction strategy?

GradConnection is the leading online resource for university students and graduates searching career opportunities in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, a number of countries in Southeast Asia, and South Africa. Our experienced team can help you optimise your employer profile to best connect with your global talent community.

We’ll also be hosting our 2019 Returnee Summit, Returnee Career Fair, and Local Hong Kong University Career Fair in Hong Kong later this year. These events provide employers with an opportunity to connect with local and international university careers centres as well as skilled local students/graduates and returnees looking for career opportunities in Hong Kong.

If you’re interested in attending or hosting a booth for additional visibility, get in touch with anthony@gradconnection.com or bonnie@gradconnection.com

Graduate Recruitment in Asia: 4 Must Know Trends 2019 | GradConnection Asia