The war for talent has long since moved beyond just finding good resumes. Universities deliver smart, ambitious starters, but practice shows that there is often a gap between what they have learned and what organisations really need. On top of that, much talent focuses mainly on the Randstad or even seeks international opportunities. How do you ensure that starters choose your organisation off the beaten path - and that they remain successful there?
Skill gaps: from knowledge to practice
Universities deliver talent with the latest theoretical knowledge, but practice demands more than just academic skills. Starters in finance are familiar with the latest data analysis tools, but often have limited knowledge of financial legislation. IT graduates master the latest programming languages, but lack experience with teamwork, stakeholder management, customer-focused communication and the legacy systems that many banks still use.
How do you avoid a mismatch?
- Create a strong onboarding - A good start requires structure: a clear program, a regular point of contact and plenty of guidance. Make sure that starters know what is expected of them, how to find their way within your tools and processes, and where they can go with questions.
- Provide mentoring and coaching - Let juniors learn from experienced professionals, but people outside the profession, such as talent managers, can also be valuable mentors.
- Offer personal development - Soft skill training, such as MBTI and stakeholder management, help startups succeed in the workplace.
Region gaps: how to attract talent outside the Randstad?
Big cities, especially the Zuidas in Amsterdam, have a strong attraction for young professionals. For example, research shows that 40% of cum laude graduates in the Netherlands prefer a career at large (consulting) firms, such as those at the Zuidas (Business Insider).
International employees also prefer to choose big cities. There you will find many international companies, convenient facilities and opportunities to build a network. Nearly half of them therefore work in one of these five city regions: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht or Eindhoven (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency).
How do you ensure that talent will apply to your organization even if you are located outside the Randstad?
Here's what you can do:
- Offer hybrid working - Don't let location be a dealbreaker.
- Respond to what talent really cares about - Learn about Generation Z, respond to their needs and show what you have to offer as a company.
- Emphasize growth opportunities and impact - Many startups want to work at a company where they can really make a difference. So that can be more important than location.
More and more Dutch students are considering spending a period abroad after their studies for further study, an internship or a gap year. Research by Nuffic shows that more than two-thirds of the students and scholars surveyed have plans to spend temporary time abroad. This presents opportunities for employers: by offering international work opportunities, you can appeal to this group. Do you have branches abroad that a starter can work with or go to? Then working with you can be positioned as a valuable international experience.
The future
Projections show a decline in the number of Dutch students, while the number of international students continues to grow. The Ministry of Education predicts that the number of Dutch students in academic education will drop from 251,500 in 2023-2024 to 228,200 in 2031-2032. During the same period, the number of international students is expected to increase from 90,300 to 120,100.
Of the international students who graduate in the Netherlands, a significant portion continue to work here. Of the 2018/2019 batch, more than 30% were still working in the Netherlands five years later.
Curious about the male-female ratio in technical and financial fields? Discover the ratio by field of study.
Prevent mismatches
Attracting and retaining young talent requires more than just a job posting. It's about an approach that focuses on onboarding, coaching and personal development. Combine that with work flexibility, clear growth opportunities and, where relevant, international experience, and you have a proposition that starters cannot ignore. In this way you avoid mismatches, increase your appeal outside the Randstad and ensure that young talent contributes to continued growth in your organisation.
What young talent really chooses
You probably have a picture of the ideal candidate for your team. But is that picture actually accurate? And more importantly, do those candidates even exist?
In this whitepaper, you'll discover:
✓ Why the perfect candidate isn’t who you think
✓ How AI is changing the profile of young talent
✓ How to attract more women
