By Amelia Zwecher
 Studies show that engaging students early in their academic careers can heighten company branding and awareness. |
In the March 2 SEMA eNews article, “Tips for Attracting Top Talent: Step 1—The Job Description,” hiring managers were urged to develop strong job descriptions that truly depicted their positions and their companies. Once a job description is ready for posting, the next phase is recruitment. In addition to the many effective online and print job boards locally and globally that may be used for recruitment, there are additional techniques to help attract top talent to your organization.
Recruitment for top talent can be a very competitive, costly and time-consuming process. Grooming new talent may also be a wise approach to building a strong team and pipeline. College recruitment events are one approach to engaging this target market. Another less common approach is through company-sponsored scholarships.
Studies show that engaging students early in their academic careers can heighten company branding and awareness. Interacting with high-school seniors, college freshman and college sophomores are also essential techniques for influencing student academic majors and career outlook.
Reasons why offering a scholarship to students is an effective tool include the following:
- The cost of obtaining a college degree continues to increase; students are most appreciative of any assistance and recognition.
- Millennials are motivated by social rewards (i.e. public praise and mentorship) and money.
- It is a great public-relations opportunity for your company by building awareness and promoting community development.
Contact Amelia F. Zwecher, PhD, PHR, SEMA manager of career services, at ameliaz@sema.org for more information on developing successful scholarship opportunities for students.