Choo-Choo Choosing the Right Track: Helping Emerging Talent Thrive in ’25
Navigating the Early Career Landscape in 2025
Is that a light at the end of the tunnel, or an oncoming train—undoubtedly full of candidates, ready to knock on your door for endless opportunities to grow?! It’s a question that often goes unanswered at the end of Grad Career Fair season… and to think we’re on the home straight with only a few more weeks to go—cue the collective “phew”!
Graduate careers fair season in Australia generally runs from February to April with some events in later in the year. These events connect employers with students and grads exploring career opportunities. For Talent Acquisition teams, they’re key for early engagement, employer branding, and securing top talent before competitors.
As Talent Leaders, we all play a crucial role in supporting Emerging Talent in choo-choo choosing the right track! Of course, we hope they choose us as they strive to thrive, but the reality is top emerging talent will be keeping their options open—and why wouldn’t they? It’s a highly competitive job market where there are countless candidates but limited opportunities.
Why an Early Career Strategy is Essential
So, if the key is to be in it to win it, organisations need to create a compelling Early Career Strategy—one that stands out and differentiates itself from competitors.
Ask yourself:
- Who are you targeting?
- Why or why not?
Not everyone has the chance to attend university or pursue further studies, but that doesn’t mean they should be excluded from your talent pipeline. A strong early career strategy should also engage high school leavers, career counsellors, parents, TAFE and RTO providers—reaching metro, regional, and remote areas.
Building a Holistic Early Career Program
A comprehensive early career strategy should include:
- Graduate programs
- Internships
- Work experience opportunities
- Mentoring programs
- Scholarships
- Exchange programs
- Apprenticeships, cadetships, and traineeships
If we truly want our organisations to reflect the diverse communities and customers we serve, we need to assess every roles’ potential to provide career opportunities. The core of any early career strategy should focus on return on investment (ROI) and creating a pathway for talent to develop into future leaders—leaders of their craft, leaders of people, and leaders of change & innovation.
Lessons From My Early Career Strategy Journey
My first experience designing an early career strategy came just a few years ago. I thought hitting 40 meant I was over the hill, but instead, it catapulted my professional development and sparked an unwavering love for the world of emerging talent—yes, I was a late bloomer!
Fast forward to 2025, and I’m incredibly fortunate to serve as a Committee Member for the AAGE (Australian Association of Graduate Employers)—the peak industry body for early career employers. Being a member for over two years has allowed me to lead Early Career Talent teams across talent attraction, selection, onboarding, and program management. These teams are shaping the future by embracing key skills, behaviours, and signature moves for career success.
Key Tips for Supporting Emerging Talent
✅ Be a Career Coach, Not Just a Recruiter. Stop focusing on just filling the job—focus on filling the opportunity. It’s a big world out there! Show that you care, respect their decisions, and challenge their thinking. Encourage them to look beyond salary & think about:
- How the role aligns with the organisation’s purpose
- Who their leader will be & their leadership style
- How the organisation will support their growth & development
✅ Be a Cheerleader—Even if They Don’t Choose You. Support both the candidates who join your organisation and those who don’t. Stay connected and follow their career journey—you never know when they might return!
✅ Change Lives—Create Real Opportunities. Never underestimate the impact of your role shaping someone’s career and livelihood. Help make their dream career a reality.
✅ Be Authentic and Honest. Share your personal experiences—the good, the bad, and the unexpected. Your authenticity will help build credibility and strengthen your personal brand.
Tools & Resources
Here are two articles with some great tips, insights, considerations & an explainer of the basics in curating and embedding an Early Career Talent strategy.
10 expert tips for successful early career recruitment – Clinch Talent
Developing An Early Career Talent Development Program: 5 Strategies for Success
Invest in your early talent strategy by signing up as a member of The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) you will get access to free member events, major event discounts, early careers insights, member resources & more! AAGE
Looking to amplify your attraction & sourcing strategy for Early Career Talent? Check out the offerings from 2 leading Graduate Job board providers.
Does your organisation’s Early Career talent strategy look beyond graduates and extend to high school leavers? Check out these 2 resources for further insights:
Want to access to data and insights to elevate your Early Career strategy? Check out the below link. I was fortunate to be included as part of the design of this tool along with other Early Career industry leaders.
Benchmarcx – Graduate Recruitment
Lastly, join the GradHeroHub Facebook page – it’s an online community group for early career professionals. Great chats, knowledge share & access to immediate expertise from industry leaders in Early Career Talent. You’ll be immediately connected with like-minded legends, all wanting to make a difference with gusto in supporting emerging talent across a plethora of industries.
