Business Solutions Brought by Youth

Securing the dream job with good pay right after graduating from the university is a dream for many. Right from the time from selecting a major to every class test, mid-exam, presentation, viva, and end semester, an undergraduate keeps on adding value to their future self.

In the contemporary situation, the restless job hunt by these graduates or even undergraduates in the last year of study is inevitable. But an individual who hasn’t had the corporate exposure or is new to the corporate fails to see the ‘talent hunt’ or the effort to procure the most talented people to the organization done by almost every company, especially top companies in the world.

Getting CVs unopened or rejected, having to face more challenging technical interviews and aptitude tests, and the whole process is, without doubt, the worst nightmare of every job seeker. But what we lack, as undergraduates, is all the levels of selecting the companies has to adopt is mandatory to acquire the most-suited people to work from them. It’s troublesome on our side as job seekers but equally troublesome on a company’s side.

Even with all these screening levels and different talent hunt programs such as career fairs, seminars, etc., companies sometimes still fail to find the ideal person suited for the job because the person they require ideally might not be a graduate!    

But graduates are superheroes, right? 

It is apparent that most companies worldwide consider fresh college or university graduates to fulfill their employee needs due to the skill set they bring to the table. Being flexible, adapting to dynamic environments, committing to long work hours when required, and the unlimited energy and enthusiasm are only just some superpowers these graduates possess, making them more appealing to recruiters. 

However, all this depends on the requirement of the company. This is why most recruiters consider more factors such as the corporate work experience for roles with challenging environments. But for roles that require out-of-the-box thinking ability, a fresh graduate or even more so an undergraduate could be ideal over an experienced professional. 

There are 101 reasons why companies prefer a graduate with experience, but there are indeed another 101 more reasons why an undergraduate is better. Again this solely depends on the present needs of the company alone. 

If graduates are superheroes, then undergraduates are?

Ever heard of Robin to Batman, who comes in and saves the day? How about a youngster scoring a Test match hundred on debut? Yes, that’s how valuable undergraduates can be to a company. 

Undergraduates may not be who you want at the driver’s seat, having them at top positions to run a company while they are involved with so many academic and extra-curricular work while in university and certainly with their lack of experience. Instead, they bring out-of-the-box thinking to the table, which is much needed for any modern organization. 

Undergraduates too possess the traits of fresh graduates, with so much more enthusiasm and energy. But it’s safe to say the companies will have to deal with frequent excuses for study leaves or academic deadlines, and if it’s a full-time student, they won’t certainly show up to work every single day! 

But how can you utilize undergraduates if they are already occupied with many work?

Let’s paint a picture. There’s a new product to be launched that requires a lot of social media marketing, of which the primary target is youth. The company has many marketers who are qualified and experienced who are closing in on 40 years. The company has three options, outsource the whole social media research to an outside firm. Or option two, use their in-house experience and knowledge irrespective of the demographics. Option three is to bring in some young talent who could work along with their experienced in-house personnel. This is where the undergraduates come in. 

Undergraduates are most suited for projects like these where there is a need for some outside eyes to help out, and it’s obvious that hiring an undergraduate for a short-term internship is more cost-effective too! 

Also, since undergraduates are still involved in active learning while they work, they see loopholes in the company’s practices and can identify any discrepancies between actual work and the book theories, which can help them and the company equally. 

Heading for the Future with AIESEC

Heading for the Future (H4TF) is the newest product engineered by AIESEC to cater to the needs of such companies who want the best undergraduates to work with them short-term for specific projects. AIESEC will handle the entire process of sourcing and shortlisting candidates. The quality of the undergraduates is ensured due to the already existing and growing talent pool of AIESEC within country and outside. Also, as the commitment to an undergraduate is usually four weeks, the company is not burdened financially.

Before we have the argument of Robin being nowhere close to Batman, we have to see how unique they are to each other and what exceptional things they bring to the table. Undergraduates certainly cannot compete with the experiences and skills of a seasoned professional, but having them on the team will certainly not do you any wrong. So join with H4TF by AIESEC to acquire the best talent, change your work culture and stay competitive, and you will find out the difference between Batman and Robin.

By Upeka Fernando
Showcasing Team – AIESEC in USJ