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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
Steelcase Inc. was selected as a 2024 Campus Forward Award Winner for their unwavering commitment to seeking out and hiring early career talent and investments in nurturing and retaining the next generation of diverse talent. Please see below for the highlights of their approach to early career recruitment.
Multi-Faceted and Thoughtful Approach to University Recruitment
The recruitment team at Steelcase is dedicated to engaging with the next generation of talent, both on and off campus. They have implemented a hybrid recruitment approach, attending a diverse range of virtual events, including info sessions, workshops, industry panels, and specifically the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Virtual Career Expo, to reach students at universities nationwide. Additionally, they have strategically planned in-person events at select colleges and institutions, such as Florida A&M, First Generation student events, Thurgood Marshall Fund, the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber and more to provide students with valuable face-to-face interaction and build stronger relationships. Additionally, Steelcase places a high priority on hosting student groups at their Grand Rapids, MI facility, providing them with a firsthand experience of the work environment.
Standout Candidate Experience
The team responsible for early careers at Steelcase recognizes the importance of providing an exceptional candidate experience to attract top talent. To achieve this, they go the extra mile to ensure that students have a positive interaction throughout the entire application process, from start to finish. The team achieves this by implementing various strategies, such as consistent and frequent communication, regular and on time status updates, and various ways of communication that work best for this generation (email, text, and calls). Additionally, the team collects feedback on the candidate experience, which they use to make continuous improvements to the hiring process.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Representation at the entry-level can move the needle on diversity across the company. This is a huge part of why the campus recruitment team at Steelcase is dedicated to seeking out and connecting with a wide range of students from across the country. To attract a diverse pool of candidates, the team has established partnerships with Florida A&M, the Thurgood Marshall Fund, and public university student led organizations such as SWE, SHPE, and NSBE. Along with recruitment efforts, Steelcase takes pride in providing support to interns and new graduates from underrepresented backgrounds, including mentorship and employee resource groups.