Attracting, Acquiring and Retaining College Graduates for Entry-Level Professional Positions

Author

Dennis Ray Harris, Fontbonne College

Year of Award

1988

Degree

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

College

College of Business & Professional Studies

Degree Program

Business

Department

Business Administration

Keywords

Hiring, Human Resources, Entry-level, Employee Turnover, Work-study

Abstract

Rapidly changing technology and increasing competition, foreign and domestic, has forced American business organizations to make numerous changes in their way of doing business. These organizations must operate more efficiently, while constantly dealing with changes. This has produced a growing demand for professionals and this growth is expected to continue. Herein lies another major obstacle. Professional employee turnover is high, especially in the first few years after they leave college and enter the work force. Productivity is another problem. Perhaps the greatest concern is the decline of new college graduates at a time when the demand for them is on the rise. This will drive competition for college graduates upward and coupled with a relatively high turnover rate, produce significant problems for American business organizations.

This thesis will address approaches for attracting, acquiring and retaining new college graduates for entry-level positions. The role of the professional will be defined and a comparison will be made showing how the anticipated supply of new college graduates compares with the anticipated organizational demand. Analysis of the hiring process, to include the problems associated with traditional recruiting techniques, will be presented. Consequences of employee turnover and major factors known to cause turnover will be addressed next.

Work-study programs will be offered as an effective, cost-efficient means to attract, acquire, and retain new college graduates for entry-level professional positions. Primary types of programs, their design, and their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed. This will be followed by two selection considerations that can improve the overall hiring process.

Finally, summary remarks will conclude the presentation. Additional areas that need to be considered and studied will be included.

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Recommended Citation

Harris, Dennis Ray, "Attracting, Acquiring and Retaining College Graduates for Entry-Level Professional Positions" (1988). All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects. 607.
https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/all-etds/607