Let's understand candidate hierarchy! Not all job candidates are treated equally - recruiters and hiring managers have a clear priority system.
Your path into their pipeline determines your chances of getting noticed, interviewed, and ultimately hired as a new graduate.
Engagement Message
Think of a job you applied for—what factor do you believe influenced whether you heard back?
Referrals sit at the top of every recruiter's priority list. When a current employee recommends someone, that candidate immediately jumps ahead of everyone else.
Companies know referrals convert to hires 5x more often than other sources - even for new graduates with limited experience.
Engagement Message
Why do you think employee referrals have such high success rates?
After referrals come direct applications - new graduates who apply directly through the company's career page or reach out to hiring managers personally.
These candidates show genuine interest in that specific company, not just any entry-level opportunity they can find.
Engagement Message
How would you demonstrate genuine company interest in a direct application?
Next are external recruiter submissions. These candidates didn't seek out the company specifically, but a recruiter matched them to the role.
While recruiter-submitted new graduates are pre-screened, they're often exploring multiple opportunities simultaneously, which reduces commitment perception.
Engagement Message
What's one downside of being presented by an external recruiter?
At the bottom are cold applications - new graduates who blast their resume to hundreds of job postings without research or customization.
These get the least attention because they show no specific interest in the company or role.
Engagement Message
Name one way to avoid being seen as a "cold applicant."
