Why you should hire the underdog

It appears that these days every job requirement is 5+ years experience in a similar role and a third level degree. What about those with no experience who are fresh out of college ready to learn and start their career? Are they just expected to do internships or  work for free until they eventually suit the criteria of years experience? This seems hardly fair. Here is why you should hire the underdog or those recent graduates.

It is obvious that older people with years experience could be more knowledgeable or suited for a particular job. However, younger people know the struggle of working for free and (mostly) appreciate the opportunity for any job that could give them experience or a step further to their career.

With young people there is always room and desire to improve and that is what leads to innovation. Someone new can bring something different to offer which can teach people new things. Students also struggle through college with attempting to afford to live, study, and work which shows how much they can take on at one time. A lot of the time, hiring younger people also means that they are extremely flexible. No children and a gratitude for opportunity means that they are more than likely at your beck and call.

Change is a part of their life. They go from school, the leaving certificate, college, often their first move from home and then finishing college to the big bad world. These are frequent changes that most students experience. They are adaptable. Change is often what companies need to ensure success.

Young people bring a new perspective to the workplace. They know the latest trends and what young people are interested in. They bring fresh ideas  which can be a large portion of the business’s success. They do not have habits from previous jobs and are ready to be shaped to what you want them to be. They are not too proud to do the little tasks like the coffee runs or research. They are grateful for any task given to them.

One of the biggest reasons why you should hire the underdog is technology. The majority of young people are completely comfortable with technology and social media which is the secret to a workplace’s progress these days.

Social media has become such a large part of promoting and developing a business and who knows more about social media; the person who has grown up with its development and are constantly hopping from one to the other 24/7 or those who grew up with barely any technology and might not own a Facebook account?

And who wants to work with the most knowledgeable, experienced, perfect person anyway? You want to have the fun person who will sometimes make mistakes, learn, improve and grow from them by your side. You want to watch this person grow from strength to strength knowing that you gave them the opportunity to do so. They will always remember you as the person who helped them and maybe twenty years later when they are CEO’s or successful lawyers they will thank you for that.

So next time instead of hiring the perfect person with numerous years experience, look to the fresh face graduate eager to learn.  We all have to start from somewhere.