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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Graduate Recruiter

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

Human ResourcesTalent AcquisitionRecruiting

🎯 Role Definition

A Graduate Recruiter is the architect and ambassador of a company's early-career talent strategy. This role serves as the primary bridge between the academic world and the professional landscape of our organization. At its core, the position involves identifying, engaging, and attracting the brightest students from universities and colleges for internship and full-time graduate programs. More than just filling positions, a Graduate Recruiter is a relationship builder, a brand evangelist, and a strategic partner to the business, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of future leaders and innovators. They are responsible for creating an exceptional candidate experience from the first point of contact through to onboarding, shaping the perception of our brand on campuses nationwide.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Recruiter or Talent Acquisition Coordinator
  • Human Resources Generalist
  • University Career Services Advisor or Employer Relations Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Senior Graduate Recruiter or Campus Recruitment Lead
  • Campus Recruitment Manager
  • Talent Acquisition Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Employer Branding Specialist
  • HR Business Partner
  • Learning and Development Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the end-to-end recruitment lifecycle for all graduate, intern, and early-career roles, from initial sourcing and screening to offer extension and pre-onboarding engagement.
  • Develop and cultivate deep, strategic partnerships with key universities, including career services offices, academic faculty, and student organizations, to build a strong talent pipeline.
  • Plan, coordinate, and execute a comprehensive calendar of on-campus and virtual recruitment events, including career fairs, information sessions, tech talks, and networking events.
  • Act as a compelling brand ambassador for the organization, effectively articulating our value proposition, culture, and career opportunities to students and university stakeholders.
  • Conduct thorough screening of applications, resumes, and cover letters to identify candidates who align with the technical and cultural requirements of our programs.
  • Facilitate and conduct various interview stages, including phone screens, video interviews, and in-person interviews, ensuring a fair, consistent, and positive evaluation process.
  • Partner closely with hiring managers and business leaders to understand their specific talent needs and to align the graduate recruitment strategy with departmental goals.
  • Design and implement innovative sourcing strategies to attract a diverse pool of high-caliber candidates, leveraging platforms like Handshake, LinkedIn, and university-specific job boards.
  • Manage the candidate experience with a high-touch, empathetic approach, providing timely communication and feedback to all applicants throughout the process.
  • Oversee the offer management process, including extending offers of employment, navigating negotiations, and successfully closing candidates.
  • Track, analyze, and report on key recruitment metrics, such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, offer acceptance rates, and diversity statistics, to inform strategy and demonstrate ROI.
  • Maintain pristine data integrity within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), ensuring all candidate information and recruitment activities are accurately recorded.
  • Lead the planning and execution of summer internship programs, including orientation, social events, performance management, and the conversion process for full-time offers.
  • Drive diversity and inclusion initiatives within the campus recruitment strategy, ensuring we attract and hire talent from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.
  • Develop and manage the annual campus recruitment budget, ensuring all activities are delivered within financial parameters.
  • Collaborate with the marketing and communications teams to create engaging recruitment collateral, social media content, and promotional materials for campus audiences.
  • Stay current on emerging trends, best practices, and competitor strategies in the university recruitment and early-talent space.
  • Train and mentor business stakeholders and interviewers on best practices for interviewing and evaluating student candidates.
  • Build and nurture long-term talent pipelines of promising students for future opportunities, maintaining engagement with high-potential candidates who are not yet ready to apply.
  • Coordinate the complex logistics of high-volume interview days, including scheduling, travel arrangements, and ensuring a seamless on-site or virtual experience for candidates and interviewers.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the wider Talent Acquisition team with ad-hoc recruitment projects and sourcing for other roles during off-peak campus seasons.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of recruitment processes and tools by providing feedback and proposing innovative solutions.
  • Assist in the onboarding and assimilation process for new graduate hires and interns to ensure a smooth transition into the company.
  • Participate in cross-functional HR projects and initiatives that contribute to the overall employee lifecycle and company culture.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Proficiency: Hands-on experience managing candidate pipelines in systems like Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, or iCIMS.
  • Sourcing Tools Expertise: Skilled in using university recruitment platforms (e.g., Handshake, Symplicity) and professional networks (e.g., LinkedIn Recruiter).
  • Data & Reporting: Ability to track metrics and create insightful reports using tools like Excel, Google Sheets, or data visualization software (e.g., Tableau).
  • Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, from event logistics to program coordination, with strong organizational skills.
  • Recruitment Marketing: Familiarity with creating and deploying targeted email campaigns and social media content to attract candidates.

Soft Skills

  • Relationship Building: An innate ability to build genuine, lasting relationships with students, university staff, and internal stakeholders.
  • Public Speaking & Presentation: Confident and engaging presenter, capable of captivating audiences of all sizes in both virtual and in-person settings.
  • Interpersonal Communication: Exceptional listening, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to tailor your message to different audiences.
  • Organizational Prowess: Meticulous attention to detail and the ability to juggle numerous competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in a dynamic setting with seasonal peaks and troughs; able to pivot strategies and handle unforeseen challenges with a positive attitude.
  • Empathy & Candidate Focus: A deep commitment to creating a positive and supportive experience for every candidate, regardless of the outcome.
  • Stakeholder Management: The polish and confidence to advise and influence senior leaders and hiring managers.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree.

Preferred Education:

  • A Bachelor's degree in a field relevant to human resources or business.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Human Resources
  • Business Administration
  • Psychology
  • Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-4 years of relevant professional experience.

Preferred: Direct experience in a full-cycle recruiting role, ideally with a specific focus on university relations, campus recruitment, or early-career talent programs. Experience in a high-volume corporate recruiting environment is highly advantageous.

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