Recruitment and retention. Recruitment and retention. Recruitment and retention. We know we want to excel in these areas, but do we know what the incoming class of college graduates wants?
Liberty Business Systems hosted a roundtable discussion with students from North Dakota State University Center for Professional Selling and Sales Technology to get feedback on that very question. Here is what a few of them had to say.
1. Evan Blackwell, Junior, Business Administration Major
“The two biggest things I am looking for in a job are flexibility and culture. Flexibility to me is being able to work on my own without someone hovering over me, watching and commenting on every task I do. I would like to be able to spend time in the office, and out of the office whether that be working from home or going out to meetings or lunches. Being cooped up in an office all day is not ideal for me. As far as culture goes, I want to know my coworkers on a personal level, and I want them to know me the same. I want to be able to be there for my family when necessary. I want a big part of the culture to be that everyone has a life outside of work.”
2. Hailey Verkuehlen, Senior, Marketing Major
“I look for an environment with open communication where ideas can flow across all levels of employment. I look for clear job descriptions where I know exactly what the
job entails before I am hired. I look for a good company culture that is implemented and demonstrated within the work weeks. I look for high professional development.”
3. Jackson Tracy, Sophomore, Marketing Major
I look for a lot of things in a job. As of now, I would like to at least start my career in sales. So, I want to sell something I’m confident in, something that I truly would buy myself, something I know all the ins and outs of and something that sparks a lot of interest for me. If I can’t get excited about the product I’m selling, I will most likely not have a lot of luck closing sales and I will probably be miserable! Another thing I look for in a job is what the culture of the company is like. If the job I’m looking at is for a company with rich history and traditions, core values I agree with, and a strong leadership presence that speaks to me, the job will probably be more enjoyable. At the end of the day, if I am treated as a human being and not just some exposable robot, I’ll be happy with my job!”
4. Alexis Bachmeier, Senior, Business Administration Major
“I am looking for a fair salary, a place that feels energetic, hard-working people who strive to be better people every single day. I want the “work hard play hard” mentality, as well as room for growth and learning.”
5. Sam Huffman, Junior, Business Administration Major
“I look for a couple of things in a job. The ability to grow with the company and the feeling that the company wants to invest in me is an important factor foremost. I also look for a company that I personally believe in, whether that be the product or service. My level of belief in the company would directly affect my day-to-day work.”
6. Brady Kuta, Senior, Business Management Major
“I’m looking for an employer that wants ME as a person to be a part of their team. I believe I can provide a lot of value to a company, not only in bringing in revenue but by being relational and being more than just a co-worker. I am looking for a job that will allow me to work hard and also be a family man.”
7. Colton Hernesman, Senior, Business Administration Major
“I look for individual gratification, responsibility to analyze and act on risk for reward, healthy competition between both co-workers and outside businesses, a respected and professional working environment, room for advancement and promotions, face to face interaction with potential customers, inspiration and influence to work past the bare minimum and transparency in business structure.”
8. Connor Laughridge, Junior, Marketing Major
“I am looking for a job that allows me to develop great skills early on in my career that I can use throughout the remainder of my career. I am also looking for a job at a company that has a great company culture with people that love to work hard and play hard. I also want to find a job at a company that is competitive because I am
a competitive person myself and I love to be a winner. I am also looking for a job at a company that I can see myself growing with for many years.”
