By Gretchen Kernbach

Senior year of college is all fun and games until students get down to their very last semester. All of a sudden reality kicks in. And it kicks students right in their backs. It seems that no one is prepared for the real world, and when the final days come into play, a panic sets in.

As an employer, there are several things you can do to help your almost-graduating-employee. I mean, they have already done so much for you. Tasks such as writing letters of recommendation or aiding them in the creation of business cards does not seem like too much of a hassle.

However, if you want to be really nice, offering your senior a full-time job would benefit them. Even using connections to get them hired elsewhere is an appreciated professional gesture.

Here is a list of things you can do, as an employer, for your graduating senior in their last semester.

Write letters of recommendation

Believe it or not, these pieces of paper go a long way. According to work.chron.com, “Reference letters give future employers a way to gain insight into a candidate’s background and capabilities.”

The letter should include points about your worker’s qualifications and personal qualities. Hearing praise from a real business looks promising to future employers who read the letter.

When writing about skills, make sure to mention specific examples; it will make your claims more credible. As a basis, include what position he/she worked on as well as any projects completed under their eye. Help your senior-student employee out.

Increase certain skills

The last semester does not have to mean paperwork for you. Just simply working one-on-one with your senior will help him/her in the real world. As someone who has been in a business for multiple years, give pointers and “secrets” to success.

For example, if you know certain jobs in the workforce are looking for strong writing skills, sit down with your senior and work one on one with him/her. The goal here is to better your employee regarding skills you have personally experienced to be helpful in the workforce.

Skills you can assist your graduating senior in include: writing, handling money, communication, technology, presenting/public speaking, or organization. Anything can help.

Hire them full-time

The graduating senior is already comfortable with his/her role in the business so they would not have any problem in the work environment out of school. This act will give your company a good reputation around campus and encourage more students to intern for you during their college years.

Plus, offering someone a job who is already experienced with the company could be a benefit to you. Just a small amount of additional training would be needed, if any. Your worker will have already established relationships with others and would fit right into the schedule of things.

Use connections to get them hired elsewhere

No, you do not have to hire your graduating senior. But handing them over to a similar company is equally effective.

Ask around to neighboring companies or even people you know in other states. Put in a good word for your employee. Words from someone like you mean a lot to a company’s head and will definitely be a strong means of persuasion.

Recommend places to live

You have been through it all. You know where the work is. If you hear of a spot opening up, mention it to your graduating employee. Even if it is far away, help explain the process of moving around for work. If you give the thumbs up on a city, your student will be more open to moving there.

Image via targettraining.eu

Give some plain old advice

Nothing is better than giving your graduating senior some personal tips. Mention simple pointers about interviews or applications. Or just tell them a story about your first day working out of college.

Remind your worker of the importance of getting along in groups, even if some of their coworkers are nutcases. Refer to old group projects on the job and explain to him/her how you got through them.

Recognize what makes YOU important

You have been their boss for a while now, so anything you say means a lot and will be taken to heart. Not only do they look up to you, believe in yourself, believe in your power. You know what you are doing and what you are talking about.

Other companies will take your word into consideration greatly. It is important to know that you can make a big impact on this senior’s first step into life outside of college. Help him/her out like someone else once did for you.