Graduates expect more love from recruiters, even as the economy tanks. A survey of current undergraduates has revealed that there is a gap between what they expect from recruiters and what recruiters deliver in terms of active engagement during the recruitment process.

The survey was conducted by Work Group via the targetjobs.co.uk student database, shows a widespread satisfaction with recruiters’ on-campus attraction campaigns but much less happiness about what happens between attraction and recruitment. Students expect the hiring process to last between 4 and 8 weeks, for it to consist of no more than three phases (application, interview and assessment centre), to receive feedback and regular communication and to receive a much clearer understanding of just what is expected of them when they start work. Instead, what they often get is a complicated and lengthy process, little communication or feedback and a general feeling of not being looked after (or loved) enough.

The results of the survey were unveiled yesterday at the quarterly TARGETjobs Breakfast News at the Paramount Restaurant at Centre Point in front of 200 graduate recruiters, universities and agencies. Danni Brace, Account Director at Work Group, said that despite the fact that there were more graduates and fewer jobs, recruiting the most talented students was just as competitive as ever, with one in ten surveyed saying that they would turn down a job offer if they felt that the ‘recruitment experience’ was poor.

The theme of the event was CRM and against a bleak economic forecast, the keynote speakers Dr Robert Shaw (Cass Business School) and Nimai Swaroop (RBS Group) reiterated the importance of managing the relationship with candidates during the hiring process and the critical role social media plays in engaging, attracting and nurturing the really able and connected undergraduates that top employers need. Chris Phillips, Publishing Director at GTI Media, said: “It’s more important than ever for recruiters to build deep relationships with appropriate candidates from an early stage and to be constantly available to them. And with mobile and social media advances, they have the tools to manage good relationships with them and to compete for the top 10 per cent of students that seemingly all top recruiters are after.”