Halifax has increased the proportion of graduates accepting job offers after
revamping its image and changing recruitment procedures.
Group graduate recruitment manager Martyn Steele said the bank decided to
change its corporate image after research revealed graduates had a poor
perception of it, describing it as dull, old and in decline.
In response, Halifax introduced new corporate advertising, which used
employees rather than actors. This idea was mirrored in recruitment advertising
and on the website.
"In the new graduate scheme, we really focused on people in an open
way, using tongue-in-cheek anecdotes to show we were real people with a sense
of humour," said Steele.
The bank also introduced a business simulation exercise as part of its
selection process, based around running a coffee shop for a day, designed to
encourage graduates to be creative.
Steele said, "If you want to recruit graduates, you have to give them
the chance to shine or otherwise what’s the point? If you can’t do that in HR,
where can you do it?"
Only two graduates refused Halifax job offers this year compared to 18 the
previous year.
