Entry level job opening: hiring recent college grads. Requirements: 5 years of experience, 6 Olympic gold medals, and superpowers. Have you ever heard of this viral joke?

Couple of decades ago, it seems that college grads could easily land their dream job when they graduate. Right out of the college, companies are opening their doors widely for fresh grads to join. Even with a bachelor degree on hand, college grads gain better bargaining power and stand out from their peers who have no formal education. But that was years ago. Today, the job market is far more highly competitive.

If you are a fresh graduate or student in the final year, then foraying into the corporate world of work can be intimidating and challenging both. Some new grads tend to be skeptical because they believe that no employer would want to hire someone with zero experience. They think that, they cannot beat the experienced talents when it comes to job hunting. However, this is not entirely the real case scenario. For some reasons, there are businesses that are keen on hiring fresh grads over the experienced ones.

SMEs or startups are some examples of the organisations who does not hesitate to take in fresh-from-college grads. Be it for full-time roles, freelance, or student internship, startups have been known as being college-friendly.

Nevertheless, this does not mean that they will accept just any kind of fresh grads. While experience is not made as the main benchmark in recruiting new hires, startup founders want the best talents who can demonstrate great potentials to excel in the industry.

But why do startups look for fresh grads? Here are some of the major reasons:

They have high levels of motivation

While there is strong misconception about millennials being glued to their smartphones and digital devices at all times, being only interested in a job that brings fat paycheck home, the truth is totally opposite.

Given the high competition in the job market and current economic slowdown, fresh grads are urged to do their best to land a job they want. And when they secure the job offer, they will work harder and be more productive to keep the job.

They are technologically-savvy

Most talents today being Millennials and Gen Z, are known for being technology savvy. Growing up in an era where internet and digital transformation is the new norm, they are more comfortable getting in touch with new tech compared to the older generation. Widely-known as tech-centered business, startups need individuals with this attitude, which makes tech grads the best candidates on the market.

They offer fresh perspective

Startup is typically created by individuals who want to make impactful deeds for the society. Recent grads are full of new perspective and creative ideas, which makes them a valuable asset for the company.

They can easily fit into the new environment

It is no secret that fresh grads are often easier to train and mold than experienced employees. As newly-established organisation, startups is in the ongoing process of shaping the workplace culture. This makes fresh grads the best fit for startup culture, as they can adapt easily with the changing environment and learn new skills faster than any veteran employees. They grow along with the business growth.

Compared to experienced hires, fresh grads do offer some competitive advantages that will be useful for seed-stage businesses such as startups. If you are a fresh grad who want to be a part of the world’s booming agents of change, perhaps this is the right time you should consider applying for a startup job.