10-Step HR Checklist To Hire Students Without Working Experience

It seems pretty obvious that HRs should look for experience and professional skills when hiring a specialist. However, when it comes to students or recent graduates, it is hard to define what recruiters should be looking for in the resumes.

Students cannot have an impressive professional experience or sufficient list of skills. Yet, entry-level positions do not actually require experienced professionals.

Looking back to their student employment and first jobs, many successful people would say that all they cared about was pocket money.

Today, learners also try to balance work that brings some cash and experience with education that requires their time and attention. It often ends up seeking external academic help from EssayPro by making a request like someone write my essay online. Lucky they, having experienced professionals eager to help any moment.

Meantime, the students themselves serve as waiters, baristas, sales associates, customer representatives, etc. The critical fact is that these positions, as well as extracurricular activities, provide them with the soft skills HRs should be looking for.

Students can be taught how to perform their job. However, they cannot learn easily how to work in teams or communicate with a customer.

Here we will cover the top 10 things HRs should look for if they intend to hire students.

Desire to Work

If a person wants to learn new things in practice and is open to any opportunity to study from the best, you should hire one. An individual should be self-motivated to come to work every day and do one’s best.

Students should realize that they need the experience to climb along the career ladder. A mentor can only guide a person through the process but not make them work.

Schedule Consistency

HR should determine whether the company and a student can find common ground in terms of working hours.

Sometimes, it is not as easy as it seems. Students have obligations at their institutions. Skipping studies for work or vice versa is not acceptable. Learners should be able to study and work part-time. The company needs to benefit from their schedules as well. 

Job History

An entry-level resume actually should contain at least something. As a recruiter or an HR, you should expect to see at least some skills and extracurricular involvement listed. Students can go the extra mile and describe their career expectations if they lack real history. It is a good idea to seek references and do call them to ask about the reliability of the candidate.

Serious Involvement in School Life

Students who participate in school life and those who take education seriously will most likely be hardworking employees as well. If you feel that the person truly seeks new knowledge and skills to add to the ones gained at school, you can seriously consider hiring one.

Community Involvement and Volunteering

A resume can provide you with a nice impression of the goals of a student. If you see leadership or volunteer experience there, be sure that a person knows how to solve problems and work with others. Communication and time-management skills matter as well.

Flexibility

Interviewing a student, you should understand whether they are flexible and adaptable or not. Be ready to demonstrate flexibility concerning working hours or mistakes as well.

Anyway, students must also be flexible to follow the mentor’s advice and learn to work the way the company expects them to. 

Teamwork and Communication

The ability to work in teams is critical for people serving on the entry-level positions. Most likely, any assignment will be split into several parts and given to a team to complete.

The inability to communicate and work together will put the completion of the project in danger. However, students should also be able to work independently with low to zero supervision.

Multitasking

Students learn to multitask at university or college, but this skill is definitely a must in the workplace.

Currently, the work environment is getting more and more demanding and fast-paced, requiring people to handle several things at once. Students should also be prepared to complete assignments on time, making use of all their internal resources and fighting stress. Multitasking and time planning are the two skills that are especially helpful in a dynamic environment.

Relationship Building

Whether a student is expected to work with customers or internal staff, they need to get on well with people. It is not only about communication but also the impression they create. Building a positive relationship is a critical skill.

Expertise in handling conflicts and resolving problems stems from the ability to communicate with people, demonstrate work ethics, and provide them with the best possible service.

Technical Competency

A newcomer should possess at least the basic competency in software that the company uses.

The most sophisticated operations can be learned later, but such programs as Microsoft Office, Adobe, Google Docs, Google Drive, etc. should be well-known and frequently used by the candidate.

Wrapping Up

Hiring a student can be a tough case because there can be little to no professional experience to rely on. However, everyone had been in the students’ shoes before actually entering a labor market.

As an HR, you need to seek skills as well as the desire to learn and develop. Also, it is vital to ensure that the student will get on well with people. Communication and teamwork are essential for entry-level or temporary positions.

The more student demonstrates their desire to work and study, the better will be the outcome for the company.

© New To HR