College Recruiter Founder Steven Rothberg: Early Career Hiring & Talent Attraction Strategies

About the Guest(s):

Steven Rothberg is the founder and Chief Visionary Officer of College Recruiter, a job search site dedicated to connecting students and recent graduates with fulfilling careers. With an educational background in law from Minnesota, Rothberg initially practiced as a lawyer before founding the precursor to College Recruiter in 1991. After several evolutions, the company fully embraced the internet boom in 1996 and has since grown into a premier job search platform, assisting over 13 million users to find entry-level positions suited to individuals with zero to three years of experience.

Episode Summary:

In the latest episode of "Growing Your Business with People," host Jeff Lackey introduces listeners to Steven Rothberg, a seasoned expert in the college recruitment and early career landscape. Together, they unpack the intricacies of the early career hiring outlook for 2023, the strategies businesses need to adapt to compete in a challenging talent market, and the evolving concept of what constitutes 'college recruiting.'

Rothberg provides listeners with valuable insights into how companies can attract top young talent amidst economic fluctuations and highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion in early career hiring strategies. The conversation sheds light on creative recruitment tactics that go beyond traditional approaches, such as leveraging technology and offering competitive compensation to get a candidate's attention promptly.

Key Takeaways:

Early career recruiting should go beyond college campuses and include avenues like high schools, boot camps, community colleges, and military veterans to ensure a diverse and inclusive talent pipeline.

The top factors determining a candidate's engagement with job ads are job title, location, and compensation; employers must be transparent and quick to respond to potential hires to remain competitive.

Moving quickly through the hiring process is essential—speed, coupled with technological assistance like AI, can provide a seamless, efficient candidate experience.

Salary transparency and paying the prevailing wage, rather than adhering strictly to industry benchmarks, can be crucial in attracting early talent, particularly in competitive job markets.

Structural changes to job application processes, like minimizing required information and implementing predictive assessments, can significantly enhance the applicant experience and improve hiring outcomes.

Notable Quotes:

"This is still an inverted job market. There are still twice as many job openings as there are candidates looking for those jobs."

"Ask candidates questions only when you need the answers."

"Time kills all deals. Speed is critical."

"If you're only hiring candidates from the same 20 schools year after year… you are undermining your diversity hiring efforts."

"If you want to hire them, it's just simply the cost of doing business."

Resources:

Tune in to this enlightening episode of "Growing Your Business with People" to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and strategies for early career hiring. Stay connected for more discussions that promise to enhance your business insights and practices.