How to make the most of your graduate on-boarding program

Avoid the trap of hiring misguided fresh graduates. Here are 3 steps to help them deliver what is expected of them and reduce the time to competence.

A common gripe among HR executives I have met is how to instill a better attitude among fresh graduates. For one reason or another, students who are fresh out of college seem to have a sense of entitlement they bring with them on their first day of work. While there are of course exceptions to this bunch, let’s look into some ways to give them better guidance and get them on board faster.

1. Include core values in your orientation

Many companies still give the first day orientation to new hires with the “what to do” and “what not to do” concepts in mind.  Day one offers the fresh graduate a gamut of policies to guide him on the job– from standard office hours to the dress code policy. What some companies often forget is the values that each employee should bring to work and what behaviors accompany these values. The next time you have an orientation for new employees who are fresh out of college, try sharing with them what the company stands for and what behaviors should be exhibited to communicate these core values. It will go a long way in ensuring that your new hires don’t quickly become new fires.

2. Use realistic job previews

n a study conducted by Dr. Ray Glennon of SHL, best of breed organizations provide new hires with online job simulations for them to get a glimpse of what their position entails. A job simulation is an online tool that measures how an employee would most likely respond to the demands of particular job roles such as customer service, sales and administration. From the fresh graduate’s perspective, this makes an impact on the company’s hiring process. While from the company’s perspective, it is another way of telling new hires what your standards are.

3. Find a one-week mentor

Yes, it’s true that most employees are scheduled to report to a manager once they get on board. However, with the daily demands of work, managers often look to these new hires to hit the ground running. Assigning a colleague to mentor the new hire on policies, procedures and “how things work around here” will surely reduce errors and make him feel that he is now aligned with the organization’s strategy. It also doesn’t hurt that he has made one friend at the office.

This blog is written by Anj Vera, Business Alliance Director of Assessment Analytics, January 2013