Caution! Are You Overlooking Cultural Fit in Recent Grads?

A candidate's "experience" is often secondary to his or her understanding of your company's mission and culture.

As graduates join the workforce, employers need to look past those young people's lack of experience and see their true value. In a word: The emerging Class of '17 and Gen Z-ers in general have a lot to offer.

Proof? A 2017 report from Accenture surveyed 1,000 U.S. students graduating this year and found that 83 percent of them described themselves as feeling prepared for their future jobs and careers.

While confidence is important, of course, these graduates' dedication to career growth is even more impressive. According to the Accenture report, Gen Z-ers are 2.5 times more likely (than previous young age cohorts studied) to commit to their employer for five-plus years. What's more, 97 percent of them plan to pursue additional training to further their careers.

As for experience: That's important, but chances are, this new wave of talent won't have much. However, that should not be a disqualifier.

Beyond experience, when you're thinking of hiring, look for skills and traits that align with your company culture, such as creativity, teamwork, communication and professionalism. After all, cultural fit is important to both individual and overall success. Read more

Andre Lavoi - Entrepreneur - 16 June 2017