With early-career programs, one of the biggest hurdles isn't finding the right talent or designing the perfect onboarding experience—it's proving their worth to company leadership.
It's no secret that early-career teams are passionate about building the next generation of talent, but getting leadership on board can be an uphill battle.
So, how do you prove the worth of your early-career programs? By speaking leadership's language—using data, aligning with company goals, and showing real impact. In this guide, we'll explore practical strategies to help you demonstrate the value of your early-career programs and secure the recognition and resources they deserve.
Aligning Program Outcomes with Business Goals
Teams often struggle because their current methods are manual, relying on emails and spreadsheets. Ben Siegel, our co-founder and CEO at Abode, says, "Adding automation alone is often not a strong enough reason to get budget approval." So, how do you make the case?
The first step in justifying your early-career programs is showing how they directly contribute to the broader company goals. Ben adds, "The biggest challenge is early-career teams showcasing what they are working on and how it maps to broader Talent Acquisition (TA) KPIs and goals."
It's not enough to state that your program is beneficial—you need to demonstrate a causal link between your work and the results leadership cares about.
Consider the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most to your company. Are you focused on reducing turnover, improving retention, or increasing employee engagement? Whatever your goals, make sure you highlight how your early-career programs are helping achieve them.
For instance, if your company values long-term employee commitment, emphasize that about 69% of employees with exceptional onboarding experience will likely stay with the firm for at least three years.
Presenting Data That Resonates
Leadership often responds best to clear, concise data directly tied to business outcomes. However, as Ben advises, "It's important to tie time savings back to metrics like increased intern conversion, retention, and Net Promoter Scores to show real dollar value in terms of ROI."
So, rather than overwhelming leaders with statistics, you should focus on the most important numbers.
Let's break it down:
- Intern conversion rate: This is a critical metric that demonstrates the effectiveness of your early-career programs. A high conversion rate shows that your program is attracting the right talent and turning them into long-term employees.
- Net promoter score (NPS): Your program's NPS is a powerful indicator of how participants feel about their experience. A high NPS suggests that your program positively impacts your employer brand, which can lead to better referrals and increased interest from top candidates.
- Retention rate: Highlight how your program contributes to long-term retention. For example, effective onboarding can make employees 18 times more committed to their employer, leading to lower turnover and a more stable workforce.
By presenting these metrics compellingly, you can show leadership the benefits of your early-career programs.
Demonstrating the Power of Candidate Experience
The candidate experience is critical to the success of your early-career programs. Ben clarifies, "A positive candidate experience improves the employer brand, encouraging people to refer friends to the company." But why should leadership care about this? Because a great candidate experience can lead to tangible business outcomes.
Here's how:
- Improved employer brand: A positive candidate experience enhances your company's reputation, making it easier to attract top talent. This fills your talent pipeline and reduces the time and cost associated with hiring.
- Higher conversion and retention rates: Candidates with a positive experience are more likely to accept offers and stay with the company long-term. This longevity directly impacts your bottom line by reducing turnover and increasing employee satisfaction.
- Cost-efficient hiring: A smooth candidate experience can lower the cost per hire by streamlining the recruitment process and minimizing re-hiring needs. This makes your program practical and economically sound.
Tying It All Together
Finally, one of the most potent ways to justify your early-career programs is to involve leadership directly. "Visible leadership throughout the program shows participants that the company truly values them and is invested in their long-term success," Ben notes.
When leaders actively participate in your programs—whether through mentoring, speaking engagements, or simply showing up at events—it sends a strong message that the company is committed to nurturing its future talent.
Leadership involvement also makes securing the necessary resources for your programs easier. When leaders see their investment's impact firsthand, they're more likely to advocate for continued support and expansion.
Conclusion
Justifying your early-career programs isn't about crunching numbers. It's about telling a story that hits home with leadership. You can make a strong case by showing how your programs align with the company's goals, presenting meaningful data, highlighting the impact of the candidate experience, and getting leadership involved.
The goal is to ensure that your early-career programs aren't just seen as something nice to have. They should be considered essential to your company's future success. With the right approach, you'll secure the recognition and resources your programs need to keep making a real impact.
