‘Campus recruitment’ is a term we hear more and more in HR circles. But what exactly is it, and how can you implement a successful campus recruitment program? Let’s start with the basics:

Campus recruitment is a strategy used by medium to large companies for sourcing, engaging, and hiring young talent, either for internship programs or entry-level jobs. These companies come with high-volume recruiting needs; they either collaborate with university career centers to recruit potential candidates or opt for large-scale operations like visiting an array of colleges and universities and attending recruiting events throughout the spring (and sometimes even fall) semester.

Now, some industries participate in campus recruiting more than others; finance, technology, manufacturing, and engineering are a few of the most popular industries that hire interns or entry-level employees through on-campus interviews.

Your job as a campus recruiter is not only to fill open positions at your company but also to engage students and attract them as future employees.

People Involved in Campus Recruitment

Campus recruitment is a strategy that employers use to source fresh talent for their organizations. In the process, employers get to know potential employees, and employees get a chance to get hired by reputed companies.

Hence, there are broadly two main stakeholders in campus recruitment: the college-goers looking for jobs and the companies looking for employees.

That said, there are more people than just those two involved in the campus recruitment process. Let’s take a quick look at what type of people are involved in campus recruitment and their role in this process:

Employers

Employers are the ones who need to hire people for their company. This usually happens when the company’s hiring team sends out a representative to the campus placements to conduct the recruitment drive. Employers conduct the entire recruitment process. They select the eligible candidates after they have undergone several rounds of interviews and other tests.

College-goers

College-goers are students who are looking for jobs during or after their graduation. The main purpose of attending a job fair is to showcase their skills and qualifications and find a job in their desired field.

Campus Recruiter

A recruiter from companies who attend these job fairs or hiring events in colleges/universities to hire college students as interns or full-time employees. They typically have a Human Resources background and really enjoy working with young students. They also give presentations on career topics, review resumes and cover letters, and conduct mock interviews with students!

University Career Development Centers

These centers provide resume review, interview preparation, workshops, seminars, etc. The focus of these centers is usually facilitating campus placement opportunities for their students.

Responsibilities of a Campus Recruiter

If you’re responsible for your company’s campus recruiting efforts, it’s essential to know the ins and outs of these processes to effectively build relationships with students and ultimately find the best candidates. There are several responsibilities that fall under the purview of campus recruiters. These include:

• Identify and engage with campus career services.
• Review and select candidates for interviews.
• Prepare a recruitment plan that aligns with your organization’s hiring goals and needs. This can include details such as specific job roles, interview schedules, etc.
• Manage the recruiting process, including planning and executing on-campus events and activities to raise awareness of your organization (such as career fairs) while coordinating timely communication with candidates throughout the process as per company policies.
• Visit the campus to conduct interviews or presentations; manage logistics before, during, and after visits, like booking transportation reservations for staff members traveling from out-of-town locations (if applicable).

Note: Most campuses have their own interviewing facilities, so you might not need one in most cases, but this does depend on how big your team is, so check ahead just in case!

The Importance of Campus Recruitment

Campus recruitment is essential, as it helps you access a wide range of talent and makes the hiring process cost-effective. Here are a few reasons why:

Enormous Talent Pool

One of the best things about campus recruitment is that it gives you access to a vast pool of candidates who are eager to start their careers. This lets you choose the right people for your company and also offers candidates a head start in their career, making them more loyal.

Cost-Effective

Not only does campus hiring give you access to a larger talent pool, but it is also cost-effective since it eliminates the time and money spent on advertising job openings. Moreover, hiring freshers and nurturing them into resourceful employees can save a company a lot of money (if done correctly). It’s also easier to conduct campus interviews than individual interviews because they can be scheduled in advance and performed at once.

Improved Selection to Hiring Ratio

Since multiple candidates apply for the same position, it becomes easier for organizations to select their top choice at low costs. Organizations can also invest in training these candidates long-term, making them a valuable asset to the company in future years to come.

Tech-savvy Candidates

Another advantage of campus recruitment is that college students are typically tech-savvy and knowledgeable about current trends, which gives them an edge over older candidates who may not be that well abreast with recent trends and tools.

Strong Relationship Between Organization and Campus

A strong relationship with colleges and campuses acts as an external marketing technique that helps promote your brand image among potential employees. If they know you’re a good place to work, they are more likely to recommend their friends and colleagues who might be interested in working at your company!

How ATSs can Help Scale Up the Campus Recruitment Process

If you’re looking to scale up your campus recruitment process, an Applicant Tracking System is definitely something worth considering. However, be mindful of the ATS you are choosing.

Campus recruitment can be a time-consuming process, so you’ll want to make sure that you find an ATS that meets not only the needs of your team in executing the job search but also those of candidates—and those of the students themselves.

Here are a few essential elements to keep in mind while choosing the right ATS to scale up your campus recruitment process:

• An ATS that allows for multiple rounds of interviews, importing/exporting candidate feedback. ATS that allows for remote interviewing (by phone or video conferencing).
• An ATS that sources candidates and invites them to recruiting events.
• An ATS that lets the career fair attendees virtually upload their resumes.
• An ATS that helps to build talent communities and keeps your potential applicants engaged with targeted emails or texts.

It really boils down to an ATS that can manage applicants, post to job boards, schedule & conduct interviews, and hire top talent without too much fuss. ‘New-age’ ATSs like PyjamaHR provides all that in a single platform (and it’s free!).

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