As research from the Higher Education Statistics Agency reveals that more than 20,000 graduates were still out of work six months after leaving university, Fiona Woods, AVP Head of Human Resources Europe for Cognizant, looks at how businesses should be capitalising on this wealth of young talent.

The jobs market is undoubtedly competitive and daunting for today’s graduates, but there are certain criteria to benchmark roles against so that applicants get the best position to suit their skills and career aspirations. There are also greater opportunities emerging within certain sectors. In technology, the recent launch of the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs from the European Commission is set to create up to 900,000 job vacancies in Europe in ICT by 2015. However, while the number of digital jobs is growing by more than 100,000 per year, the number of new ICT graduates and skilled ICT workers is not keeping up. Graduates would do well to make the most of this skills shortage by considering this sector. It is also important to ensure the graduate’s aspirations can be met by the potential employer and that the employer has realistic expectations of the graduate. We have outlined some top tips for graduates and employers to bear in mind, with the aim of creating a long-term, mutually-beneficial relationship.

A survey by the Higher Education Career Services Unit (HECSU) found the proportion of IT and computer science graduates in jobs rose by 8.5 percent, yet the volume of uptake still remains low in comparison to other sectors. With the STEM industry on the look-out to boost employee numbers, graduates would be wise to look at this sector to increase their chances of getting their first job. At the same time, employers need to do all they can to attract more graduates right from the start, from targeting prospects through the most appropriate channels, right down to using more business-focused and appealing language in job descriptions in place of overly technical terminology. Having well-honed business skills are crucial in understanding client requirements and their markets.

Employers need to account for the digitally-savvy graduates of today. As younger generations move into the work environment, they expect the same technology which they have been using at home and during their studies and this is true for more experienced employees too. To meet this demand, businesses will need to become more nimble and adapt to new technologies and ways of working. This will include full integration of social networks to improve collaboration, mobility, analytics and cloud computing technology to allow for remote working. This “SMAC” (social, mobile, analytics and cloud) technology is all well and good in theory, but putting it into practice is where the challenge lies. Business heads will need to decide which combination of solutions and tools will work best for their organisation and, once agreed, how they will integrate the new tools within the workforce. Global businesses can benefit from different skills and expertise by recruiting candidates within different markets. For example, Israel, Sweden, Finland and Japan rate very highly in terms of innovation and technology skills, Sweden and Finland are said to be leaders in creativity, while the US, Japan and Germany possess the highest scientific skill-sets, and India a high proportion of highly skilled STEM (Science, technology, Engineering and Maths) graduates.

Employers that have a real mix of talent across these geographies will have greater chance of long-term success. However, it is important that these skills are shared and transferred globally. Being able to easily communicate and share knowledge is critical. This can be arranged by sending individuals to global offices to learn from others and gain new experiences, while also ensuring that virtual communication is possible, for example through social media and video conferencing facilities. Graduates require, and demand, an equal investment in their career as they have become accustomed to in their education. While many employers feel they cannot afford the commitment or time, they need to rethink their recruitment policies to ensure they attract and retain the best talent around. After all, supporting the early stages of graduate careers should prove beneficial as the best individuals can go on to shape the future success of the business.

Fiona Woods, AVP Head of Human Resources Europe
Cognizant
www.cognizant.com