How To Employ The Best School Leavers

Employers can implement a few simple strategies to ensure they employ the best of school leavers.

With so much recruitment advice for school leavers, employers are often overlooked when it comes to being educated on how to recruit school leavers.

For employers to hire the best of the 'Class of 2010', Sarina Russo Job Access has compiled a list of recruitment strategies..

At the application stage employers should look for:

• Consistent grades - indicates an ability to apply themselves to a task;
• Extra curricular activities - indicates an ability to prioritise and multi-task;
• Involvement in sport / team-based activity - indicates good discipline, focus and the ability to work in a team;
• Part-time work / work experience - indicates initiative, a work ethic and customer service skills;
• Pre vocational training - indicates planning and forward thinking
• Voluntary work- indicates a preparedness to give something back to the community; and
• Networking - indicates a 'can-do' attitude particularly if they directly approach your business for a job.

At the interview stage employers should look for:

• Presentation - neatly attired, polite and on time for the interview;
• Well prepared - researched your business and understands your needs; and
• A plan - they know what they want and how your job can kick-start their career.

Smart employers will avoid the expected 2011 skill shortages by hiring 2010 school leavers on a part-time or full-time basis who have a CAN DO personality, WILL DO attitude and WILL FIT company culture.