Develop your Graduates
26th February 2008
The hunt for graduate talent is relentless. A huge investment is made in the search for the best candidates. The effort made to inform, persuade and attract high-potential candidates is prodigious. In professional service firms, the cost of taking a graduate from potential recruit to qualification in their chosen discipline can exceed £250,000.
In the past, in some organisations, there was a disconnect. The contract of employment was signed – and the level of attention diminished. Thrown into the deep end of the organisation, the new recruit was left to work out for themselves how to survive and thrive in choppy and uncharted waters.
Many clients of JSB have recognised that recruitment is simply the first step. To get real value from the investment they have made, a clear focus on retention and development is essential. Technical training in core skills – legal, financial, analytical – may well have been provided. Now, clients are broadening the scope of the opportunities they offer.
How?
- We have worked with a global investment bank to provide each new intake of graduates with a range of interpersonal and communication skills. A combination of classroom training and outdoor activities helps these gifted but inexperienced young people to understand what will be expected of them in the high-performing organisation they have joined.
- In a leading accountancy firm we have worked with our client to design and deliver a workshop offering practical help on how the new recruit can build their own brand and reputation in the firm. Business etiquette, professional standards, personal conduct and presentation, interacting with seniors and with clients - helpful advice and practical tips at this early stage can have a hugely beneficial impact on the graduate’s future career.
- In an international law firm, we work with graduates on their training contract to help them handle the transition from academia to a highly-pressured, time-poor environment in which they will work long hours, meet tight deadlines and take on real responsibility. An external provider like JSB, who knows and understands that challenging world, can help the trainee to retain their focus and motivation, to keep a sense of perspective and to learn some crucial 'do's and don'ts' about what to do and how to behave.
Talk to us about developing your graduates - call +44 (0)20 8371 7017 to discuss your needs, or download a brochure outlining our services.