17 tips for employers who are hiring science and engineering candidates who are early in their careers

Hiring early-career science and engineering professionals isn’t just about finding candidates with the right technical skills—it’s about identifying those with the curiosity, problem-solving mindset, and adaptability to grow in the role.

Employers should look for candidates who’ve gone beyond the classroom, whether through internships, research projects, or hands-on work that shows they can apply what they’ve learned to real-world challenges. Strong grades are great, but the ability to collaborate, think critically, and keep learning is what really sets top candidates apart. Give them the right support—mentorship, structured training, and opportunities to tackle meaningful projects—and they’ll not only contribute from day one but also develop into long-term assets for the team.

This article provides valuable insights from 17 industry experts on transforming the hiring process with practical and effective methods. Discover how to leverage expert advice to refine recruitment practices and secure the best candidates for your team.

• Offer Paid Trial Projects
• Include Real-World Problem-Solving Exercises
• Implement Proof-of-Concept Assessments
• Use Skills Assessments Over Resumes
• Incorporate Micro-Lab Collaboration
• Adopt Blind Recruitment
• Utilize Recent Alumni as Ambassadors
• Host On-Site Exploration Events
• Streamline the Recruitment Process
• Prioritize Experiential Learning
• Showcase Growth Opportunities
• Highlight Practical Impact of Work
• Create a Strong Employer Brand
• Test Communication of Technical Information

Offer Paid Trial Projects

After struggling to find the right tech talent for our healthcare software team, I started offering paid trial projects that let candidates work on actual codebase issues we’re facing. This approach has helped us identify people who can solve real-world problems, plus it gives candidates a genuine feel for the work they’d be doing with us.

Devon Mobley, Chief Growth Officer, Calvient

Include Real-World Problem-Solving Exercises

One suggestion I’ve found especially impactful is to incorporate a brief, real-world problem-solving exercise into the interview process—something that mirrors a small slice of the technical challenges your team actually faces. For instance, when hiring for an entry-level chemical engineering role at my company, we provided candidates with a scaled-down process design scenario and asked them to outline their approach step-by-step. We didn’t necessarily expect a fully polished solution but rather wanted to see how they tackled uncertainty, communicated their reasoning, and leveraged their academic or internship experience.

This method accomplishes two goals: it gives candidates a fair shot to showcase the skills they’ve cultivated in school or prior internships, and it provides your team with deeper insight into how each candidate thinks under pressure. Plus, it helps young scientists and engineers feel more comfortable by framing the interview around realistic tasks rather than abstract questions. If you make this exercise collaborative—perhaps by asking follow-up questions or brainstorming alternate solutions—it can double as a window into the candidate’s teamwork and problem-solving style.

Patric Edwards, Founder & Principal Software Architect, Cirrus Bridge

Implement Proof-of-Concept Assessments

My most effective strategy in hiring early-career STEM talent has been the implementation of “proof-of-concept” project assessments. Instead of a traditional interview, we give the candidate a small, real-world problem to solve that takes about 2-3 hours. The key is choosing projects that demonstrate both technical skills and a problem-solving approach.

We started this after noticing that many promising candidates struggled to showcase their abilities in standard interviews. After putting this into practice, our successful hire rate increased by 35%, and our 6-month retention rate improved from 72% to 89%. The projects revealed the real capabilities of the candidates much more than whiteboard exercises or theoretical discussions.

The secret is to keep the scope narrow but meaningful: we concentrate on a single, specific challenge that mirrors the realities of daily work rather than some abstract puzzle. That way, candidates get a real feel for the role, and we see how their practical skills work in action.

Alexander Weber, Founder, Dein Schriftgenerator

Use Skills Assessments Over Resumes

A way to improve the process of hiring early-career science and engineering candidates is to emphasize skills assessments over traditional resumes. Many recent graduates often lack work experience but still have good technical skills and problem-solving abilities. Practical tests and project evaluations offer candidates the chance to exhibit their talents and give employers a more substantial picture of what they can bring to the table.

In addition, you can enhance your offer and provide mentorship opportunities as part of your recruitment process, specifically for early-career candidates. For one hiring cycle, we asked candidates to pair with team members to complete very short collaborative tasks. This assessed their teamwork while also highlighting our organization’s support structure. This approach is attractive to high-potential individuals and guarantees long-term loyalty by committing to their professional growth.

Joe Reale, CEO, Surplus Solutions

Incorporate Micro-Lab Collaboration

Incorporate a “Micro-Lab Collaboration” as part of the interview. Instead of the usual Q&A or coding test, invite early-career science and engineering candidates to spend a half day with an actual project team, tackling a bite-sized, real-world problem. Let them see your environment—maybe even hop into the lab or onto a shared whiteboard—to brainstorm and iterate with seasoned engineers. 

Why is this so powerful? Because you’re not just assessing what they know (which any resume or transcript can show), you’re uncovering how they handle genuine challenges: Do they ask thoughtful questions? Are they comfortable with ambiguous data? How do they respond to unexpected feedback from colleagues outside their discipline? The result is a far richer snapshot of their potential.

Plus, it’s a big win for candidates. Many early-career hires are hungry for authentic exposure: seeing the company’s actual process, talking to potential teammates, and feeling how collaboration unfolds day-to-day. It’s a differentiator that signals, “We take talent seriously—beyond bullet points and test scores.” Not only will you attract stronger applicants, but you’ll also weed out mismatched hires early, saving both parties time and energy. 

This “Micro-Lab” approach can completely reframe the hiring conversation, illuminating both their technical aptitude and their capacity to thrive on your specific team. It’s a proactive, real-world test that reveals the intangibles—the collaborative spark, curiosity, and adaptability—that truly drive success in fast-moving science and engineering roles.

Derek Pankaew, CEO & Founder, Listening.com

Adopt Blind Recruitment

My suggestion to employers who want to improve their hiring process for early-career science and engineering candidates is to implement blind recruitment. This means removing identifiable information like names, genders, and even educational institutions from applications during the initial screening. It is a straightforward way to reduce unconscious bias and create a fairer playing field for all candidates.

The benefit of blind recruitment is that it forces hiring managers to focus entirely on the applicant’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Early-career candidates might not have extensive resumes, so this approach ensures you are evaluating what matters most, which are the potential and technical abilities.

To make this process work, you could use software or an internal team to anonymize applications. Details like name, address, or graduation year can be easily removed before a recruiter sees the file. I have seen firsthand how biases, even when unintentional, can impact decisions. This method not only eliminates those influences but is also able to improve diversity within your team, bringing in fresh perspectives.

Daniel Vasilevski, Director & Owner, Bright Force Electrical

Utilize Recent Alumni as Ambassadors

Using recent alumni as campus ambassadors is a brilliant way to improve the hiring process for early-career science and engineering candidates. As recent grads themselves, they can relate to students and make your company feel approachable and supportive. Ambassadors can share real-world insights, answer questions about the industry, and help students understand what to expect in their transition. This personal connection builds trust and gives candidates confidence in applying. It’s a win-win, creating a talent pipeline while showing your company values mentorship and growth.

Nick Esposito, Founder, NYCServers

Host On-Site Exploration Events

Invite early-career candidates to on-site “exploration” events where they can meet teams, experience live demonstrations, and understand how their skills align with the company’s mission.

These events allow candidates to see firsthand what it’s like to work within your organization and envision themselves in a potential role. They also create opportunities for meaningful conversations, where candidates can ask questions and connect with current employees.

Demonstrating your company’s culture and mission in this hands-on way helps build trust and excitement. It’s a fantastic way to stand out as an employer and show candidates that you value their unique contributions. By offering this immersive experience, you make a lasting impression that strengthens your hiring process.

Greg Arnold, General Manager, Kitchen Mania

Streamline the Recruitment Process

If you are an employer looking to hire early-career science and engineering candidates, you must streamline the recruitment process. Long, complicated hiring steps discourage strong candidates from sticking around, especially in technical fields where they have other options. Many companies lose out on great talent simply because their process is too slow or too confusing. 

The most common mistake here is making candidates go through multiple rounds of interviews and assessments that do not actually measure their skills. Someone applying for a technical role does not need to sit through five general interviews before getting to a real discussion about their expertise. Companies that respect a candidate’s time move quickly, provide clear timelines, and make sure every step in the process has a purpose. If an applicant has to wait weeks to hear back or deal with unclear expectations, they will likely accept another offer before the process is even finished.

Filip Dimitrijevski, Business Development Manager, CLICKVISION BPO

Prioritize Experiential Learning

One of the best ways to improve recruiting for young science and engineering graduates is by prioritizing experiential learning such as internships, apprenticeships, or training programs. Early-career candidates want experience and guidance, so providing opportunities to learn on the job is important.

You may, for instance, collaborate with colleges or universities and sponsor internships to expose students to your company’s products or services. This helps you identify top talent early on and shows candidates you’re committed to investing in their growth and development.

Bjørn Ekeberg, CEO and Co-Founder, Recharge Health

Showcase Growth Opportunities

One suggestion for employers looking to improve their hiring process for early-career engineering candidates is to focus on showcasing growth opportunities within the company. Many early-career engineers prioritize environments where they can learn, develop, and contribute meaningfully. Clearly communicate how the role offers mentorship, training, and hands-on projects that will enhance their skills. 

Additionally, consider simplifying the application process and tailoring technical assessments to align with real-world tasks rather than overly theoretical challenges. By creating an accessible, transparent, and skill-building-focused hiring process, employers can better attract and retain emerging engineering talent.

Sergiy Fitsak, Managing Director, Fintech Expert, Softjourn

Highlight Practical Impact of Work

Today, employers must go beyond traditional recruitment strategies to attract promising early-career IT Engineer candidates. What does a brilliant early-career IT Engineer look for, and how can I provide that? One crucial improvement companies can make is to prioritize showcasing the practical impact of their work. Fresh graduates desire to contribute meaningfully, and demonstrating real-world applications of their skills can be a significant draw. 

A recruiter can showcase real-world applications of their skills through detailed project descriptions that highlight the positive influence of the work on society or the environment, testimonials from current employees about the fulfilling aspects of their roles, or even opportunities for candidates to engage with ongoing projects during the interview process. When writing the testimonials, do a complete presentation of each employee, selecting the one with the same background as the new grad; the more the employee embodies the professional the student wants to become, the more impact it will have in attracting the best. 

The story you share with these young IT engineers must be inspiring, showing how your company is helping people with the same background grow into becoming the best version of themselves in many dimensions. By emphasizing the tangible difference their work will make, organizations can effectively position themselves as desirable destinations for ambitious young scientists and engineers eager to make a genuine contribution. This approach attracts talent and cultivates a sense of purpose within the workforce, leading to higher retention and greater overall success.

Steve Fleurant, CEO, Clair Services

Create a Strong Employer Brand

Focus on creating and promoting a strong employer brand that appeals to early-career candidates in science and engineering.

Many of these individuals are looking for more than just a paycheck; they want to feel inspired and aligned with a company’s mission and values. Highlight innovative projects, cutting-edge technologies, and opportunities for professional growth within your organization. Also, streamline your hiring process to prioritize skills over rigid qualifications. Offering technical challenges or small exploratory projects as part of the interview can give candidates a chance to showcase their abilities while you assess their potential in a more practical context.

Fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture attracts top talent and helps retain them as they grow with your company.

Robbert Bink, Founder, Crypto Recovers

Test Communication of Technical Information

Employers should test candidates to see how well they break down technical information into easy-to-understand language. How well a candidate explains problems matches their technical knowledge in my career experience.

Our recruitment process includes a task where candidates explain to a non-plumber how to diagnose and repair a burst pipe problem—about one-fourth of the candidates succeeded in presenting the process steps in basic terms while showing their assurance and knowledge. The best performers at this test achieved 40% better customer satisfaction results during their initial year at work.

This method helps me identify candidates who possess both technical expertise and exceptional communication skills which are vital for roles that involve explaining solutions to others. Through standardized assessments, employers can recognize candidates who will succeed by measuring their ability to present information clearly and with logic using confident delivery.

Benjamin Tom, Digital Marketing Expert and Utility Specialist, Electricity Monster