Why Companies Are Reluctant to Hire Freshers

Hiring freshers has long been a contentious topic in the professional world. While companies do value fresh talent, there are valid reasons why many are hesitant to hire graduates straight out of college. These reasons stem largely from the gaps between academic learning and industry requirements. Below are key factors contributing to this reluctance:

1. The Gap Between What Colleges Teach and What the Industry Needs

• Many graduates find themselves unprepared for the tech industry due to the significant gap between what colleges teach and what employers need. The college syllabus is often outdated, failing to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.
• Instead of focusing on the essential skills required in today’s job market, such as programming languages, web development, and data science, colleges tend to emphasize irrelevant subjects that do not equip students for real-world challenges.
• This misalignment leaves students shortchanged, struggling to meet the expectations of employers seeking practical, applicable knowledge.
• Read: How Your College Education Shortchanged You

2. The Expectations of Training and Internships with Stipend or Salary

• Many fresh graduates expect companies to provide extensive training or internships, often with stipends or salaries because they were not taught enough in their colleges.
• Expecting companies to hire and train you from the ground up, while also paying you, is an unrealistic expectation. The onus of providing adequate training or should fall on educational institutions, not on companies. Unfortunately, Indian colleges fail to bridge this gap.
• Companies already invest in providing the infrastructure (electricity, real estate, internet, and furniture), knowledge, time and human resources necessary to train new recruits.
• Given these resources and the time they contribute, companies are justified in expecting freshers to contribute value in return. Instead, many candidates not only expect to be trained but also demand stipends or salaries, despite having no experience or value to add.
• Read: Things You Over-Expect from Companies: A Company’s Perspective

3. The "Spoon-Feeding" mentality and The Demand of Too Much Attention

• Freshers often want to be treated like children. They ask too many questions and expect seniors to answer them all, but seniors have their own work too. Why would they leave their work to teach you?
• While curiosity is important, simply asking questions without putting effort into finding the answers yourself is counterproductive. The company hired you to work, not to be taught.
• Remember: if you have to ask too many questions regarding the task assigned to you, it means you don’t fully understand how to do the task. Those who know how to do something also know what to do!
• Read: Why You Shouldn’t Ask Too Many Questions Before Joining a Company

4. Expecting Companies to Treat Them Like Customers

• Let’s begin by defining a customer and a seller. In simple terms, a customer is someone who gives money for goods or services, and a seller is someone who receives money for providing them. When you study in a college, you pay fees in exchange for the theoretical and practical knowledge they provide. Indirectly, you are a customer of your college, and your college is the seller.
• But now, the college doesn't care whether you study properly or not because their job is done once they deliver the classes and receive the fees. It's up to you how you study after class, i.e., how you use your college's services.
• When you enter a company as a fresher, the equation changes. Now, you are not the customer. Companies pay you (in the form of salaries) in exchange for the services you provide.
• So ultimately, you are the seller, and the companies are your customers. This change in dynamics is something many freshers struggle to grasp, as they often expect the same treatment they received as students.
• Read: Why HR Never Responds and Why You Shouldn't Expect Them To

5. Poor Communication Skills

• One of the biggest turn-offs for recruiters is poor communication. Freshers often flood recruiters with casual messages like "hey" or "hi," without any context or professionalism.
• They also struggle with writing proper emails, sometimes putting all the information in the subject line while leaving the body empty. Their resumes are often poorly structured, lacking the necessary professionalism.
• Over-reliance on AI tools without applying personal effort or thought further reflects poorly on them. This lack of effective communication creates a negative first impression, making it difficult for recruiters to take such candidates seriously.
• Read: 7 Tips to Stand Out as a Job Seeker on WhatsApp

Conclusion

While the challenges freshers face in finding employment are real, they are not insurmountable. Bridging the gap between college education and industry expectations is key. Fresh graduates should focus on upskilling, learning on the job, and developing essential communication skills to demonstrate their value to employers. Companies are looking for problem solvers who can adapt and contribute—traits that freshers can develop with effort and the right mindset.