“Should I hire this recent grad who seems to be quite bright or should I send the offer letter to that candidate who has been around for more than 10 years?”
Employers all around the world and across all industries in the economy face this dilemma almost every time they go on a hiring spree or need to fill a position. The indecision is understandable.
The Ongoing Debate Continues
On the one hand, experienced employees can almost always steer a company through tough times while on the other hand, every business needs the spark of bold ideas and the zest of young blood to take it to the next level. However, giving experience its due respect, you should still hire an intelligent and smart recent graduate to be a commission only sales representation in your company. And here are the top three reasons as to why you should.
1. They will be quick learners.
Your employee who is fresh out of college will be a quick learner compared to a seasoned professional who has been way from a learning environment for quite some time. What is more, a recent grad, who does not know much about the industry, will be more enthusiastic to learn new skills compared to someone who has been around the block many times.
- This makes a recent grad more easily moldable along the lines of your business culture. On the other hand, you may have to spend precious time and effort to make an experienced employee unlearn old lessons before you can teach him the ways of your workplace. And then there’s always the risk that he will turn to be an excellent candidate who is not the “right” employee for your company.
2. They will have excellent communications skills, especially in the digital domain.
They have grown up on a diet of technology and smart communication devices! Recent graduates are comfortable charting new technological territories and are savvier with smartphones, laptops, and tablets than many experienced professionals. What is more, they are quick to learn the features of new makes and models of communication devices that hit the market with increasing frequency.
- A recent graduate is also more likely to be more familiar with the nuances of social media than someone who has experience in sales but has not grown up with Facebook or Twitter. These qualities make recent grad indispensable especially in sales jobs where they will need to exploit all the latest communicational devices and channels to reach out to the largest section of the population.
3. They don’t need to be paid a hefty commission.
A recent graduate will command less commission than an experienced professional. This advantage seems all the more potent when you consider it in the light of the above-mentioned benefits of hiring a college graduate who just walked across the stage.
Astute recruiters realize that talent and experience do not always go hand-in-hand. So you should never overlook a promising CV just because its owner has not any experience in making a sale (well, at least not with your organization). There are scores of uncut diamonds waiting to be unearthed from amongst the recent grad pool. It is now up to you to spot the spark!
Barbara Ashton is the founder and CEO of Ashton & Associates Recruiting. She is an expert recruiter passionate about helping businesses hire skilled workers.
If you’re ready to get started hiring the workers you need to IMPROVE SALES, DELIVER ON TIME, and WIN NEW CUSTOMERS,
call Barbara at 1-800-432-6893 or get in touch with her at [email protected].
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