Good talent at all levels can be hard to find, attract, and retain. If you're considering augmenting your company's entry-level talent acquisition strategy with a campus recruiting plan, these three tips could help you scale your activities quickly and effectively.
- Start small and build wins.Three years ago we didn’t have a campus recruiting program to speak of at LinkedIn. We launched a pilot, invested wisely in our initial hires, and used early successes to gain buy-in for a full-fledged effort. Our program scaled quickly and has since become a vital, repeatable and dependable source for LinkedIn. Our activities create a funnel for full-time talent and have a real purpose. Turn your initial class of interns into full time employees, and you’ll have an easier time selling a larger, broader campus recruiting program.
- Secure executive support. To get any real traction, you'll need executive sponsorship. If the executives are bought in and fully committed to actively participating, it truly shows your interns you’re focused on university level talent as part of your long-term talent strategy. Executive buy-in can mobilize the entire company - and trust me, once you get some successes under your belt, you will be asked to expand the program, so you’ll need every ounce of help you can muster.
- Invest in relationships. The goal of any great intern program is to affect students’ lives and enrich their experience, so that ultimately they want to join your company (if mutually desired). Go into it with this mindset and set yourself apart from the very beginning with a high touch, personalized program where your interns feel it was time well spent. It is on this very foundation that our intern program was built.
As campus recruiting season heats up, we'll share some more thoughts on how to run a successful internship program. Stay tuned for more details!
For more on using LinkedIn to connect with entry-level and new graduate talent, download data sheet: Students on LinkedIn: Facts and Tips.
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