Considering Hiring a New Grad? Here’s a Guide to Making It Work

Hiring new grads can be beneficial for your company. Recent grads can use their knowledge-based foundation and transferrable skills to help move your organization forward. Follow these guidelines to successfully hire new grads.

Know How to Connect

Aside from recruiting at college career fairs, there are many ways to connect with new grads. Use your company website, social media and job boards to post openings and engage with followers. Also, have an employee referral program in place to find new talent as they enter the workforce. Ask for referrals from clients, vendors, consultants and other business partners to increase your candidate pool.

Market Your Company

Create engaging posts, photos and videos to provide information on your company mission and values, culture, available entry-level opportunities and potential for advancement. Emphasize that your interview process involves working with candidates to determine which position may be the best fit for them. In addition, mention the educational backgrounds you’re looking for without being too narrow in your search.

Help Visualize Employment

Introduce them to employees with similar backgrounds and experiences. Show candidates the area they’ll be working in if they’re offered a position. Discuss what will be expected of candidates daily.

Emphasize Soft Skills

Critical thinking, time management, leadership and strong communication skills are essential traits for any position. You can ask candidates to provide an example of how they successfully applied soft skills in a previous job, volunteer role, sports team or other extracurricular activities. After hiring candidates, you can provide direction on successfully applying soft skills to their new roles.

Welcome New Grads

Ensure each new grad has at least eight to 12 weeks of departmental or mentor-based training. You may want to assign both an experienced mentor and a recent college grad with two years’ experience to assist during the training process. Also, make sure your new grads begin contributing to the organization within weeks of their start date so they feel like valued members of your team. Utilize new grads’ technology skills to teach managers and coworkers how to use new software. Encourage new grads to provide input for company operations to help with innovation.

Provide Ongoing Constructive Feedback

Give new grads real-time constructive feedback to improve their performance. Praise proper behaviors while suggesting steps to improve in areas that need work. Address issues as they occur to improve current and future outcomes.

Work With a Top Financial Staffing Agency in Chicago

For help finding new accounting or finance candidates, contact Casey Accounting & Finance Resources and partner with a top financial recruiter in Chicago!

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Register for Our Annual 5kCureSade – Oct. 7

Come support Casey Accounting & Finance Resources and Arlington Resources and run/walk with us at our annual 5kCureSade to help raise money for the Northwest Community Hospital Cancer Patient Assistance Fund! 100 percent of the funds will be donated to benefit the Northwest Community Hospital Cancer Patient Assistance Fund. NCH’s Cancer Patient Assistance Fund offers small, short-term grants to cancer patients to cover their basic living expenses, such as rent, groceries, gas and auto repairs.

You can find more information about the program here: http://www.nch.org/giving/foundation/funding_needed.php

The 5k will be taking place Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Deer Grove East Forest Preserve (Red Loop Trail – Shelter One) at Dundee and Hicks Road in Palatine, IL (60074). Check-in and same day registration runs from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. and the race time is at 9 a.m. The online registration fee is $30 until Sept. 30, $35 day of the race. Please register early to guarantee a long sleeve lightweight full zip jacket.

You can register for the race here:
https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/120703

We also accept donations here:
https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/120702

Our USA Track and Field Sanctioned Event will be professionally timed.

TEAM CHALLENGE: Top 3 runners from a team will win a trophy and $100 gift certificate for their team! Please identify your Team Name when registering online.

INDIVIDUALS: Top male and female runners will each win a $100 gift certificate. The top three females and males in each age group will be awarded (exclusive of top male and female runner): 17 & under, 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, and 60+.

Thank you very much, and we look forward to seeing you on the trail!

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Is an MBA Worth the Cost for Your Career?

Earning a master’s in business administration (MBA) may provide you the knowledge and skills needed to enhance your career opportunities and increase your compensation and promotions. However, due to the substantial time and expense involved, earning an MBA may not be in your best interest. Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether an MBA may be worth the cost for your career.

Consider Your Career Path

An MBA may be worth the time, effort and expense if you plan to work in a business-related field, in management or as a company founder. Some companies require MBAs for certain positions because of the skills students learn in data analysis, leadership, collaboration and working with different cultures. However, you typically need to earn your MBA from a top-tier business school for your degree to be valued by an employer. Also, earning an MBA doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be hired for a job. If you’re already working in a leadership or executive position, it’s typically because you have the knowledge, skills, experience and personality to succeed. Also, many startups won’t hire candidates with an MBA because the program teaches students to look at prior data and patterns to predict future outcomes, whereas entrepreneurs prefer innovative employees who adapt to emerging markets and international advising. Furthermore, because the costs involved in earning an MBA continue increasing at a greater rate than salaries are, the return on investment of an MBA has been decreasing.

Determine When to Pursue Your MBA

If you decide to earn your MBA right away, you may want to enroll in a full-time program. However, as a full-time student, you most likely won’t have time to work during the two to three years you spend in school. Because many top schools look for relevant work experience as a requirement for admission, you may not be admitted to a school that will enhance your employment options. Also, because many employers want work experience along with an MBA, you may not immediately benefit from your advanced studies.

Decide on an MBA Program 

There are two types of MBA programs you can choose from. If you decide to gain work experience first and later enroll as a part-time student, you can work full time and enroll in either an MBA or executive MBA (EMBA) course. Students earning an MBA are typically 24-35 years of age and not yet in leadership or executive roles. Students earning an EMBA are typically 32-42 years of age and have worked in leadership or executive roles. Most students in either program take classes in the evening or on weekends and may have their employer pay for their program.

Work With a Top Chicago Financial Staffing Agency

Whether you decide to pursue your MBA or advance without it, we can help you secure your next finance or accounting position. Reach out to Casey Accounting & Finance Resources and partner with a top financial staffing agency in Chicago!

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