Spring Week Pressures

Spring Week placements always seem to be like Gold-dust. First/second-year undergraduates put themselves through the wringer and apply en masse to a series of financial institutions. With the hope to be one of the lucky few to secure a Spring week placement. I recently supported candidates with their interview techniques for a client, which was surprisingly insightful. 

The students were anxious to get it right and secure their coveted placement. During the session, one student’s application deadline schedule had some organisations crossed out and assumed, the student had been unsuccessful in their application. The response surprised and impressed me, as they stated:

To be fair they are a decent organisation, but I went through the various Spring Week programmes and it was all about them. Where was “I” in all of it? Do they really want me? or any potential first-class candidate? I want to work for an organisation that sees ME. A company that does what it can to help me be the best version of myself , because that is beneficial for them and for me, right? I wasn’t getting that vibe from the ones I crossed out, so why go through the stress of the application? I’m better off putting my effort into the  organisations where I genuinely want to work  & well keep it moving.

The career coach in me wanted to reply, “but you’re missing out on potentially great opportunities!”  After all the process is so competitive, there are usually only 50 places against the 500 applications etc. I am not downplaying the competitiveness,  but I was intrigued by this new approach of only making “alignment applications”.

I, therefore, momentarily silenced the career coach in me (which was a battle in itself) and enquired of the student;

“what within Spring Week programmes placed certain organisations on the “aligned application” shortlist?”

Why Spring Week has to be Bloomin’ Mutually Marvellous

There is a realisation revolution happening within Gen Z, that possibly hasn’t been this palpable before. They are aware that they got skills, they are confident in their skills and also more mindful of the type of organisation they want to work in. Consider them to be the “we need each other” cohort of entry talent.

Whilst it is important for organisations to introduce their potential pipeline talent to the Who, What & How of their organisation, they also need to look at what else they are giving to their potential pipeline talent. Namely, what sprinkles are you adding on top of your corporate ice cream cone to enhance your Employer Proposition Value (EVP)?

Truth be told, the old tricks are not completely working with this new generation, it’s time to show you got game! 

Spring Week Sprinkles to Enhance your EVP

•  Find ways to share the culture of the organisation, being honest about where you are with matters that are important to your potential talent pipeline.

• Share how you intend to support them during the Spring Week; skill development workshops to upskill them before they join, – displaying that as an organisation, investment in your people starts immediately and continues throughout.

• Inclusivity sense-check every step of the application process, if a potential pipeline talent feels excluded /”othered” during an application process, it’s very unlikely they will want to proceed.

For more insight and support in enhancing your Spring Week programmes and your EVP to potential pipeline talent check out our Engage, Empower & Retain workshops especially our Attraction to Application and Stretch and Engage workshops and for more information on our services, feel free to contact us directly – we look forward to working with you!