7 tips for hiring customer service students other than through on-campus recruiting

Employers aiming to recruit customer service students can explore several methods outside of on-campus interviews. A great way to engage with these students is through partnerships with community colleges, technical schools, or universities offering customer service or hospitality programs. Employers can offer internships, part-time roles, or mentorship programs that provide students with hands-on experience in customer interactions, problem-solving, and communication skills. These partnerships allow companies to foster relationships with students, giving them a glimpse of what it’s like to work for the company, and helping them build the essential skills needed for customer service roles.

Additionally, employers who don’t want to go through on-campus interviewing can instead use online job boards and platforms that focus on entry-level and customer service positions. Posting job opportunities, internships, or training programs on these platforms can reach a broader audience. Engaging with students through social media, webinars, and virtual job fairs can also be highly effective. These events allow employers to showcase their company culture, provide insights into customer service career paths, and connect with students in a more interactive and flexible setting than traditional in-person interviews.

Seeking innovative hiring strategies beyond traditional on-campus recruiting, we’ve gathered top tips from HR professionals and executives. From targeting digital advertising to creating a talent assessment platform, discover the key strategies shared by nine industry leaders like HR Managers and Directors of Customer Relations for attracting college students and recent graduates to customer service roles.

• Targeted Digital Advertising Strategy
• Leverage Virtual Recruitment Platforms
• Engage Through Social Media
• Advertise Remote Roles Online
• Utilize Digital Recruitment and Virtual Fairs
• Innovate with Gamified Recruitment
• Partner with Universities and Tech Programs
• Implement Virtual Game-Based Assessments
• Create a Talent Assessment Platform

Targeted Digital Advertising Strategy

Although job fairs on campus can be successful, we have found that grabbing the attention of students and recent graduates can be achieved through targeted digital advertising. Having a strategy that includes social media, as well as websites that their demographic is likely to look at, is essential. 

The creative must be bold, clear, and attention-grabbing, with a headline along the lines of “Uni Student? Gain experience and earn money while studying” or “Recent Graduate? Step into your career in customer service here!” 

We have found that targeted ads have successfully driven inquiries and applications and often cost less than it would to send multiple employees out of the office to a job fair.

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll

Leverage Virtual Recruitment Platforms

My top tip for Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies looking to hire college students and recent graduates for customer service roles without relying on on-campus recruiting is to leverage virtual recruitment platforms and online communities.

These platforms, such as LinkedIn, Handshake, or niche job boards such as College Recruiter specifically targeting young talent, allow organizations to tap into a broader pool of candidates across various schools and regions.

By utilizing these digital spaces, you can post job listings, host virtual career fairs, and engage with students through webinars or informational sessions. This not only broadens your reach but also caters to the tech-savvy nature of today’s students.

Additionally, many of these platforms offer filters for identifying candidates with specific skills and interests, allowing for more targeted recruiting. This approach is cost-effective, scalable, and adaptable to today’s remote-first job market, making it a powerful alternative to traditional on-campus methods.

Diana Royanto, Content Writer, Milkwhale

Engage Through Social Media

Social media platforms are powerful tools for reaching and engaging college students and recent graduates. Focus on platforms popular among younger demographics, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Develop content that resonates with your audience by showcasing your company’s culture, sharing employee testimonials, and highlighting career development opportunities. Use visually appealing formats like videos and infographics to capture attention. 

Additionally, include relevant hashtags in your posts and collaborate with social media influencers or campus leaders to extend your reach. Hosting live Q&A sessions or virtual meet-and-greets can also provide interactive ways to connect with potential candidates.

Chris Hunter, Director of Customer Relations, ServiceTitan

Advertise Remote Roles Online

For us, we end up with a deluge of resumes every single time we post a customer service role on a job board site. Why? Because the position is remote. For a new college graduate with a ton of bills and little income at the start of their careers, remote jobs can be a transportation lifesaver. So, advertise those remote customer service roles online, buy national or regional ad space on video streaming sites like YouTube, and emphasize that your position is remote. Watch the resumes of qualified candidates pour in! And if you think, “But my positions aren’t remote,” then my advice is to find a way to create remote roles at your company. You’ll never have to book a college on-campus recruiting booth again.

Maurice Harary, CEO & Co-Founder, The Bid Lab

Utilize Digital Recruitment and Virtual Fairs

Digital recruitment platforms, like LinkedIn and specialized job boards, allow you to reach a wide audience of recent graduates actively seeking opportunities. These platforms offer targeted advertising and advanced search features that can help you connect with candidates who have the skills and qualifications you need.

Participating in virtual career fairs can also be an effective way to engage with potential candidates. These online events provide a convenient and interactive environment where you can showcase your company, discuss job opportunities, and conduct preliminary interviews. Virtual career fairs also allow you to tap into a broader talent pool without the geographical limitations of traditional on-campus recruiting.

Andrew Hulsebos, Service Director, Reiner Group Inc.

Innovate with Gamified Recruitment

If you’re really looking for a unique spin on recruiting for customer service roles, how about setting up a “gamified customer service quest?” Instead of the usual job fairs or interviews, create an interactive, game-like experience where candidates work through different customer service challenges as levels in a game. They could earn points for problem-solving, communication, and empathy as they progress through different scenarios.

This way, you make the process fun and engaging while still assessing their skills in real time. Plus, it appeals to tech-savvy students and recent grads who appreciate something more creative and interactive than filling out applications or sitting through interviews. It’s like letting them showcase their abilities in a dynamic, fun environment, and you get to see how they perform under pressure in a completely different way.

Kyle Kozlowski, Co-Founder, Eco Temp HVAC

Partner with Universities and Tech Programs

We have had success recruiting recent graduates for customer service roles through university partnerships and internship programs. Working with career centers and engineering/tech departments, we are able to engage students early and provide real-world experience. The top candidates often come from these programs. 

For example, we partnered with a local university to provide a case study for senior design projects. The top teams were offered internships, and a few were ultimately hired full-time. This allowed us to evaluate candidates in a low-risk way and hire those who were the best fit.

I would also recommend looking at coding boot camps and hackathon participants. These candidates have relevant, in-demand skills and a desire to solve complex problems. At a recent hackathon we sponsored, one team built an AI assistant to handle basic customer queries. We ended up hiring two members of that team who are now building out that solution for our contact center.

For customer service roles in particular, look for candidates with a proven track record of strong communication, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills. Our best hires have come from non-traditional backgrounds and bring a diversity of thought that is invaluable. An open mind and willingness to learn can take a new hire a long way.

Cephas Kalembo, Founder, O’Sense

Implement Virtual Game-Based Assessments

Companies must target virtual game-based assessments. 

Why do so? Continuing on-campus recruiting practices has its limitations. It is expensive, takes up a lot of time, and limits you to certain regional schools. On the other hand, virtual options are very effective and work well with tech-savvy graduates.

What to do? You need to create an online task that tracks and captures real changes in customer interactions. For example, we designed chatbot storylines that focus on resolving issues, emotions, and interactions to reflect real scenarios.

How to do it? We used a gamification platform to create challenges for candidates. They handled difficult customer complaints, multitasking, and de-escalation. This not only tested their skills but also showed what the job would be like.

My employer saw great results: a 40% increase in qualified applicants and a 25% boost in new-hire retention. Moreover, candidates liked this method’s interactive format. Some applicants said it was a fresh change from the usual application process.

I believe, that by thinking outside the traditional recruiting box, we tapped into a wider, more diverse talent pool. This approach works for both big corporations and government agencies looking to innovate their hiring practices for customer service roles.

Arslan Habib, Digital Marketer at Web3MoJo | Business Strategist at Sustainability Jobs, Sustainability Jobs

Create a Talent Assessment Platform

Creating a talent assessment platform is an innovative way to revolutionize your hiring process for customer service roles. This platform can offer online simulations and skills tests to vet candidates effectively. Instead of relying on traditional on-campus recruitment, which might miss out on diverse talents spread across various regions, this method allows you to cast a wider net and find the best fit based on real performance.

To make it practical, integrate role-playing scenarios that mimic real customer interactions. These can include handling difficult customers, solving common issues, and time-management tasks. The key here is to design the assessments to measure both technical skills and the soft skills crucial for customer service, such as empathy and communication. 

Use the data generated from these simulations to create detailed profiles of the applicants, helping you identify those who not only have the right skills but also the right temperament for the job. Such a platform can streamline your hiring process, ensure you’re getting top-notch candidates, and ultimately enhance your customer service team’s performance.

Shannon Smith O’Connell, Operations Director, Reclaim247