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Preparing College Graduates
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Preparing College Graduates
Discuss workforce management, performance management, retention, communication, motivation, contributing to business results and other topics.
As a Professor of Business at a small liberal arts college, I would like your input into the skills that HR is looking for in new hires. Your input will be very useful to our department.
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Forums » Topic Forums » General Forum » Preparing College Graduates
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/14/1999 6:43 PM EDT
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Posts: 833
First: 6/11/1999 Last: 8/23/2001 |
I'm not sure if this is something you can teach. but I'd like to see LESS expectations. I understand that this is a very consumer-based society, and that everyone has the right to wear sunscreen and the inalienable right to cable-TV, however I find applicants looking for instant titles, benefits, perks, and salaries, solely based on a degree.
I also look for language skills, oral presentation skills, and those who can express themselves in correspondence without spellchecks, grammar checks, and templates. Because of the nature of the current workplace, interpersonal communication skills are all- important, IMO. Just my two-cents.. |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/14/1999 10:02 PM EDT
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Posts: 99
First: 6/22/1999 Last: 12/11/2001 |
I agree with Jim, particularly on expectations of salaries. My company is in aerospace engineering design, in southern California, and my recruiting primarily focuses on degreed engineers. I'm not sure what information their professors are imparting to them, but their salary expectations are commensurate usually with an experienced engineer of 3-6 years. I did interview one gentleman from Stanford that felt as a graduate he should receive upwards of $60,000/year at entry level. This was very unrealistic.
I like candidates to be able to communicate during an interview, not just respond with one or two words to questions. It's important at my organization that our staff can communicate not only with each other but with our clients as well. |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/15/1999 1:09 AM EDT
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Posts: 37
First: 6/15/1999 Last: 1/5/2001 |
The reason why high tech employees feel entitled to high-paying jobs is because of the industry's propaganda. The high-tech industry continues to proclaim that recent college graduates are earning salaries averaging $47,000. Upon reading and watching the news, however, one could conclude that everyone with a college degree in computer science or electrical engineering would instantly strike it rich.
Unlike what the media may be telling you, I have yet to receive any substantial increase in my compensation. All the while, I continue to hear about how businesses are supposedly doing just about anything to recruit and retain technical employees. Perhaps high turnover rates aren't hurting businesses as much as they claim. While I love what I do for a living, it would be nice to put an end to the "tech worker shortage propaganda campaign". This propaganda is why so many of us techies feel entitled to better-than-average compensation. If the industry is creating a false sense of a worker shortage as a reuse to import more H-1B indentured servants, than it has given itself a much-deserved shot in the foot. |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/15/1999 7:10 AM EDT
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Posts: 11
First: 9/8/1999 Last: 11/26/1999 |
I agree with Jim C. We spend a substantial amount of time teaching new grads the basics of communications as well as business etiquette and customer service. In addition, we often have trouble acclimating folks to the idea that attendance and compliance with rules is necessary in the work environment. |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/16/1999 3:32 AM EDT
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Posts: 3
First: 9/16/1999 Last: 9/21/1999 |
I work at a high-tech recruiting firm and while some of the salary reports may be hype, there is some really great money being pulled down out there. I'm 26 and graduated from college a year ago. When I see salaries some if the candidates we place I sure which I went into IT.
For example we had one girl a year younger than myself with her BS in CompSci and an MCSE and we placed her as a LAN admin earning $52K 6 months after she graduated--and she was someone who couldn't figure out how to open an aspirin bottle on her own (I had to instruct her twice on how to fill out her W-4 and health insurance apps), but was sharp with computers. Another candidate we placed is 1.5 years older than me with his Masters in CompSci and he's making $110K per year now as an IT project manager. |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/16/1999 4:49 AM EDT
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Posts: 833
First: 6/11/1999 Last: 8/23/2001 |
That's partially my point, and one of the arguments in a previous post. If I need IT people, I can't compete with those starting salaries. If the expectation of the big money isn't met, people are pretty much more mobile than they ever were, and are heading west. Enter the H-1B. So far I've been lucky and have been able to fill my needs by taking workers who are not prone to relocate or have a lifestyle established. But, I'm not hesitant to admit I've considered it, and even had started the interviewing process. Bill Gates can pay 110K for an entry level position - I can't, but we both need people.
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/16/1999 3:57 PM EDT
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Posts: 37
First: 6/15/1999 Last: 1/5/2001 |
Really?
The job market in San Diego certainly doesnt seem to be even close to what youve described. Most employers dont even bother to do phone interviews. Are the two examples you mentioned full-time, permanent positions? Or, are they temporary assignments? Ive repaired, programmed, and built computers since I was 12. Fifteen years later and the most I get paid is $35,000 developing in JavaScript, HTML4, and PERL. |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/16/1999 4:00 PM EDT
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Posts: 37
First: 6/15/1999 Last: 1/5/2001 |
If you want your I.T. employees to stay onboard, then offer incentives to your CURRENT employees. Ive heard about and experienced too many cases where management offers MORE compensation to new hires than raises to existing employees.
Does turnover really cost 1.5x an employees salary on average? Or, is it actually more cost effective to continually hirer younger and more naive recent college graduates? |
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Preparing College Graduates
posted at 9/16/1999 8:14 PM EDT
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Posts: 67
First: 7/20/1999 Last: 6/30/2000 |
To sum up what several other posts said - please teach students how to have a good WORK ethic in addition to business ethics. Come to work on time, don't call in sick because you're hung over (you're not in college anymore),don't stand around talking about the great party/drinking binge you were on the night before (especially on company time), have good manners to your colleagues, put in a full day's work for a full day's pay, and most of all don't think the world, i.e., the company, owes you a living, much less anything else. Be grateful you were given a job; don't act like you're doing the company a favor by being there! . . . can you tell these are my pet peeves?! And I acknowledge, new graduates aren't the only ones who could use these lessons, but let's try teaching them and maybe it will rub off on the "oldsters!"
My 2 cents . . . |
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