5 Reasons to hire a graduate
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited back to Falmouth University to spend a day with inspiring young designers – soon to be graduates - who wanted to know more about the design industry and the pathways into it. While sharing some advice and relaying stories of my own career in restaurant design so far, I thought it might be useful to highlight why hiring a graduate is a great idea.
Yes, training someone can be time consuming and yes, they likely won’t have many of the the answers straight away, but what they do bring is a unique perspective that cannot be replicated later in a career.
Image Courtesy of Falmouth Interiors @interiors_falmouth
5 reasons to hire a graduate:
01. Investing in the future
Graduates come to the studio with no preconceived ideas of the world of work and an unrestricted (read, unjaded) view of what can and can’t be done. For a commercial design agency, this can challenge the norms people may have settled into and encourage new ideas and ways of working. Creating opportunities for graduates to develop a career is priceless for them as junior designers and a graduate programme with a clear career path also encourages ambition and retention.
02. A fresh perspective
Injecting a younger voice, in touch with current trends, can really energise and inspire designers. Graduates have different habits and lifestyles to many of their colleagues and this can be invaluable when designing for multiple user needs. Online research is great but someone living it can offer unique insights. Aside from lifestyle and opinions, they have also just spent three years immersing themselves in the world of design and have had more time to discover new materials and aspirational competitors.
03. Adaptiveness
Graduates are by their very nature open to new opportunities. They typically have fewer auxiliary commitments and home-life demands and are therefore more flexible and present in the now. They are (hopefully) keen to develop, show off new skills and relish the chance to take on responsibility and execute their ideas to inspire change.
04. Tech Savvy
The generation entering the workplace now has grown up with technology. They likely had social media accounts before they left secondary school – maybe earlier. They have an innate understanding of how certain technology works and have been using it comfortably to their advantage for many years. Agencies can utilise this; Be that branding, digital marketing and phygital applications graduates can often highlight technological advances others may not be aware of.
05. Cost effectiveness with proven ROI
A graduate can become a valuable asset to the team and be truly embedded in an agency’s core values. 57% of employers retain graduate recruits after 5 years which brings stability and consistency to a design studio, enabling strong client and colleague relationships. While they initially need training and support they are also a value opportunity over high salaries and potentially stale thinking.