18 reasons why employers need to hire candidates who are early in their management careers

There are important short- and long-term benefits for employers to hire students, recent graduates, and others early in their careers for management roles. We reached out to nine hiring experts to get their thoughts:

• Create Accelerated Leadership Development Programs
• Build In-House Management Development Pipelines
• Partner with Universities for Leadership Training
• Implement Cognitive Ability Testing Early
• Develop Structured Partnerships with Educational Institutions
• Use Psychological Assessment-Based Group Challenges
• Test Leadership Qualities During Internships
• Leverage Alumni Networks and Professional Communities
• Design Fast-Track Leadership Pipelines
• Establish Campus-to-Management Pipeline Programs
• Utilize AI-Driven Candidate Screening Platforms
• Recruit from Diverse Educational Backgrounds
• Assess Leadership Potential Through Simulations
• Provide Clear Structure for Early-Career Talent
• Create Rotational Management Development Programs
• Develop Internal Talent Through Experiential Learning
• Build Direct College Leadership Pipelines
• Design Rotational Immersion Programs

Create Accelerated Leadership Development Programs

This approach addresses the fundamental challenge that management roles require experience, but early career candidates need opportunities to gain that experience in supportive environments.

I’ve observed that volume management hiring requires a fundamentally different strategy than traditional executive recruiting. The key insight is that early career management potential often can’t be assessed through interviews alone — it must be developed through structured experience.

The most effective approach involves creating management development tracks where high-potential candidates rotate through different supervisory roles with experienced managers as mentors. This allows organizations to evaluate leadership capabilities through actual performance while providing candidates with guided skill development.

Successful programs typically last 12-18 months and include project management responsibilities, team leadership assignments, and cross-functional exposure that builds comprehensive business understanding. Companies can hire cohorts of 20-50 candidates annually through partnerships with business schools and leadership development programs.

The volume hiring success comes from treating management development as an investment in organizational capability rather than just filling immediate openings. When early career professionals see genuine growth opportunities with structured support, they commit to longer-term career development within the organization.

When you create structured programs that build leadership capabilities through guided experience, you transform high-potential candidates into effective managers while building sustainable talent pipelines.

Friddy Hoegener, Co-Founder | Head of Recruiting, SCOPE Recruiting

Build In-House Management Development Pipelines

When I was helping an energy conglomerate scale up rapidly across North America, they approached me with a significant request: they needed to hire dozens of early-career candidates and fast-track them into management roles within a year or two. These weren’t just technical hires; rather, they were looking for future leaders, people who could grow with the company and eventually run divisions.

We’ve always believed in hiring for potential as much as performance. So I pitched them something different from the usual stack of resumes: a formal Management Development Program created in-house and from the ground up.

Candidates were brought in with a clear plan, and from there, they rotated through different business units, shadowed senior managers, and received targeted training along the way. What made it work was the structure and the mentorship. Every participant had a sponsor inside the company, someone invested in their progress. And from our side, we stayed involved too, checking in regularly, gathering feedback, and adjusting the program as needed.

The program became a magnet. Even students who didn’t get in spread the word on campus about how seriously this company was investing in young talent. Their employer brand soared, and so did the quality of applicants. It became a leadership pipeline.

If you’re an employer in a sector like energy, where leadership demands are only getting steeper, my advice is to stop thinking of recruiting as a transactional process. Think long term and build the necessary paths. They’ll be well-worn in no time.

Jon Hill, Managing Partner, Tall Trees Talent

Partner with Universities for Leadership Training

One recruiting strategy I strongly recommend to employers aiming to hire large volumes of early-career candidates into management roles is to build a structured leadership development pipeline directly from within universities, community colleges, and industry-focused training institutions. This strategy involves more than just attending job fairs or posting internships — it’s about creating ongoing partnerships with academic institutions that allow companies to shape, identify, and train potential leaders early.

By embedding themselves in academic environments, employers can co-design curriculum content, sponsor leadership modules, or host problem-solving case competitions that mimic real business scenarios. This creates touchpoints where students can showcase soft skills like communication, adaptability, and initiative — traits crucial for management — even before entering the formal job market. Once potential talent is identified, employers can extend offers for rotational management trainee programs that expose new hires to multiple departments. This accelerates learning and gives both the company and the candidate time to assess fit.

What makes this strategy effective at scale is its replicability. A well-designed early-career leadership program can be implemented across multiple locations or campuses with slight variations. It also gives hiring teams a clear rubric for evaluating leadership potential in individuals who may not yet have formal management experience but demonstrate strong analytical and interpersonal skills. And when candidates feel that an employer has invested in their long-term growth, it increases loyalty and retention — crucial when onboarding dozens or hundreds of individuals at once.

For example, a retail conglomerate in Canada partnered with five universities to co-host leadership hackathons, offered mentorship programs led by store managers, and extended conditional job offers tied to participation. Within two years, they successfully filled over 400 entry-level management roles across their national branches — many of whom have since been promoted.

Ultimately, the key lies in cultivating trust early, creating multiple exposure opportunities, and developing a consistent leadership readiness framework that scales. In an era where many early-career professionals are eager for growth but lack direction, a structured, high-touch pathway into management roles makes companies stand out.

Miriam Groom, CEO, Mindful Career Counselling

Implement Cognitive Ability Testing Early

All early careers employers should strongly consider using cognitive ability testing, particularly early on in the recruitment process. They add more value for early careers hiring than any other level of recruitment, and it’s not even close.

Firstly, early careers hires are effectively being paid to learn. You provide them with training, qualifications, mentorship, personal development, etc. Cognitive ability is by far the strongest predictor of training performance known; it’s perfect here.

Additionally, you can easily invite thousands of candidates to complete an online cognitive assessment. It takes almost no administrative effort. This means considerable time (and thus cost) savings for the HR team.

Also, because of the volume of applicants, you can afford to be highly selective. It really pays to be picky when using cognitive assessments, as that is how to maximize ROI. Nowhere else can you be as selective, and it makes total sense to lean into this advantage.

Lastly, you can actually rely on them to complete their assessments. They are just finishing education; they are more comfortable with testing than they ever will be. So don’t worry about candidate attrition. It’s not a concern here.

The stars truly align here. You get more value from cognitive assessments than in any other type of recruitment.

Ben Schwencke, Business Psychologist, Test Partnership

Develop Structured Partnerships with Educational Institutions

One recruiting strategy I highly recommend to employers who need to hire dozens or even hundreds of early-career candidates into administrative roles is to develop structured partnerships with community colleges, workforce boards, and certificate-based training programs that focus on office administration, healthcare administration, and general business support.

I worked with a large healthcare organization that needed to staff over 120 front-desk, scheduling, and administrative support roles within six months. Posting to job boards alone wasn’t bringing in the right volume or quality of applicants. Many of the candidates applying lacked basic software knowledge or hadn’t worked in fast-paced environments before.

We took a different approach. I helped the organization form direct partnerships with four community colleges that offered associate degrees and certificate programs in medical and office administration. We co-created a hiring pipeline called the “Admin Career Launch Program.” It included on-campus info sessions led by the employer’s HR team, resume coaching with hiring managers, and guaranteed interviews for students who completed the school’s admin certificate with a GPA above a set threshold.

We also built a custom two-week onboarding bootcamp for all accepted candidates, covering key workplace tools like scheduling software, customer communication basics, and document handling. Because the employer invested upfront in candidate readiness, new hires felt more confident and capable from day one.

This strategy filled over 85 percent of the roles within four months. Better yet, the first-year retention rate for program participants was 22 percent higher than previous cohorts. Many have since moved into supervisory or coordinator roles.

Recruiting early-career talent at scale requires more than open applications. It requires building trust and visibility where those candidates already are. When companies show up consistently on campus, offer career growth, and remove unnecessary barriers, they attract candidates who are not only eager to work but prepared to succeed.

Brittney Simpson, HR Consultant, Savvy HR Partner

Use Psychological Assessment-Based Group Challenges

I’ve seen companies waste millions on traditional recruiting for management roles. The strategy that actually works is psychological assessment-based group challenges that reveal natural leadership patterns.

I developed this approach when scaling teams at my healthcare software company before selling to Echo Group. Instead of standard interviews, we’d put 8-10 candidates in a room with a real business problem our management team was facing — such as improving client retention or streamlining operations. We’d observe who naturally took charge, who built consensus, and who could influence without authority.

The results were dramatic. We’ve used this method to help financial services and pharma clients hire management cohorts. One investment banking client filled 40 managing director positions with 89% still performing at top levels after two years, compared to their previous 60% success rate with traditional interviewing.

The key insight from my psychology background is that leadership behaviors emerge under pressure, not in rehearsed interview responses. Create scenarios that mirror your actual management challenges, then watch who steps up naturally versus who just talks about leadership.

Bill Berman, CEO, Berman Leadership

Test Leadership Qualities During Internships

One effective strategy for hiring early-career talent into management roles is to begin testing for leadership qualities during internships, rather than after.

We assign interns substantial responsibilities, such as leading a small group, managing peer collaboration, or overseeing a small delivery component. The focus is less on their technical skills and more on how they communicate, take ownership, and handle pressure.

Midway through the internship, we introduce scenario-based challenges. These include tasks like planning a sprint, resolving a team issue, or presenting work under tight deadlines. Managers observe quietly and take notes.

Those who demonstrate strong leadership behaviors are identified early. When they join full-time, they are placed on a structured path where they continue to develop leadership skills through mentorship and real project exposure.

The key is not waiting until someone is “ready” for leadership. Instead, test it early, observe it in real settings, and then build on what you’ve seen, rather than relying solely on what’s written on a resume.

Vikrant Bhalodia, Head of Marketing & People Ops, WeblineIndia

Leverage Alumni Networks and Professional Communities

Using alumni networks and professional communities is an effective way of recruiting many early-career candidates into management positions. Many early-career professionals feel connected to their university, training program, or an online leadership community. If you partner with these networks, you’ll access an ambitious community of candidates who are looking for their next growth opportunity.

What is unique about this approach is that it is more focused than recruiting through traditional job postings. You have an audience of candidates who have a proven history of commitment, leadership, or achievement. Your dynamic is made more engaging when you host virtual “leadership open houses” or Q&A meetings between your current managers and prospective candidates. This makes your company more familiar and builds trust with prospective hires.

When you actively engage these communities consistently, it creates a pool of talent that is eager to grow into management roles.

Ksenia Kobryn, CEO, Symphony Solutions

Design Fast-Track Leadership Pipelines

I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to get the right people into management roles early. One recruiting strategy that has worked exceptionally well for us, and one I’d recommend to any organization scaling fast, is to design a fast-track leadership pipeline specifically for early-career talent.

We don’t just hire testers or engineers; we identify potential managers from day one by embedding leadership exposure into their initial training. Within the first 90 days, candidates shadow project leads, interact directly with clients, and are given low-risk opportunities to lead sprints or internal QA pods. This early ownership reveals who’s naturally inclined to lead, who communicates well, and who thrives under pressure. It’s not theory; it’s performance-based identification.

But here’s the real key: we back this with a structured mentorship loop. Every early-career hire gets paired with someone 2-3 years ahead of them in the same organization. That near-peer mentorship creates a bridge between aspiration and execution and ensures we aren’t just filling roles; we’re growing leaders who understand the DNA of our company.

That’s how we scaled our QA leadership across dozens of projects globally without compromising on quality or company culture.

Shishir Dubey, Founder & CEO, Chrome QA Lab

Establish Campus-to-Management Pipeline Programs

One of the most effective recruiting strategies for hiring dozens or even hundreds of early-career candidates into management roles is establishing a structured campus-to-management pipeline program. This approach streamlines the hiring process at scale and builds a sustainable talent stream that is ready to grow.

Unlike traditional campus recruiting, which often focuses on entry-level roles, a structured management program offers a clear career trajectory from Day 1. Candidates are not merely joining as analysts; they are being enrolled in a future leadership pathway, with rotational assignments and milestone-based promotions.

The advantage of this approach lies in its scalability and appeal to Gen Z job seekers, who prioritize career growth, structured learning, and meaningful work. By promoting a formalized program where candidates know they are being groomed for leadership, employers can attract top-tier talent from competitive campuses who may otherwise gravitate toward consulting or tech giants.

One key tactic for success is partnering with academic institutions beyond the top-tier universities. Regional universities and trade schools often have diverse, high-performing candidates eager for managerial roles but may lack direct pathways into corporate leadership. Employers can build relationships with these institutions through guest lectures, case competitions, and internship-to-full-time conversion strategies, creating an inclusive talent funnel.

Digital assessment platforms also play a crucial role in scaling recruitment without compromising quality. By implementing behavioral assessments and virtual situational judgment tests, companies can filter for leadership potential early in the process. These tools help ensure that candidates selected for interviews align with the organization’s management competencies.

An example of this in practice comes from a global logistics company that needed to hire 300+ entry-level managers within a year. They launched a “Fast-Track Leadership Program” that combined campus recruiting with online simulations mimicking real warehouse operations and team management scenarios. Candidates who excelled in the simulations were invited to virtual assessment centers, where they engaged in collaborative problem-solving exercises with peers. This approach enabled the company to assess hundreds of candidates’ decision-making and leadership aptitude efficiently, while reinforcing a culture of excellence from the outset.

Viraj Lele, Operational Performance Manager, DHL Supply Chain

Utilize AI-Driven Candidate Screening Platforms

One recruiting strategy I recommend for employers looking to hire dozens or hundreds of early-career candidates into management roles is implementing an AI-driven candidate screening and engagement platform tailored specifically for soft skills and leadership potential. Traditional resumes and cover letters often fail to reveal qualities like adaptability, communication, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving — traits critical for future managers. AI tools can help bridge that gap at scale.

Start by using AI to analyze video interviews or structured assessments that focus on scenario-based responses. These tools can evaluate tone, word choice, and emotional cues to highlight candidates who demonstrate strong leadership tendencies, even if they lack formal experience. This levels the playing field for early-career candidates who might otherwise be overlooked based on limited work history.

AI can also automate initial candidate engagement through personalized chatbots that answer questions, schedule interviews, and guide applicants through the next steps. This keeps top talent from slipping through the cracks due to delayed human follow-up, especially when you’re hiring at volume.

One of the most valuable aspects of using AI in this way is that it reduces unconscious bias in early screening. Instead of filtering candidates based on prestige markers like school names or GPA, you can prioritize based on demonstrated competencies that align with your company’s leadership values.

By combining structured assessments with automated, consistent touchpoints, you’re building a stronger foundation of future managers based on merit, potential, and readiness. That’s how you scale both quality and quantity in your leadership pipeline.

Joe Benson, Cofounder, Eversite

Recruit from Diverse Educational Backgrounds

When we needed to hire a large number of early-career candidates into management roles, we quickly realized that resumes don’t tell the whole story. The strategy that actually worked? We started recruiting from within local colleges and community programs — not just the Ivy Leagues — and focused on people who had something to prove.

I remember one candidate who worked nights at a gas station to pay for school. He didn’t have leadership experience on paper, but in the interview, he talked about defusing tense customer situations at 3 a.m. with nothing but patience and humor. That’s someone I can trust with people.

We created a structured training path, but what made the difference was how we interviewed. We looked for attitude, not polish. Grit over gloss. You can teach process — but you can’t teach hunger.

Brian Greenberg, Founder, Insurancy

Assess Leadership Potential Through Simulations

When hiring early-career candidates for management positions, I’ve learned that past experience doesn’t reliably predict how someone will perform as a leader. Instead of relying solely on resumes or conventional interviews, I assess leadership potential through real-world scenarios.

What I’ve implemented is the use of leadership simulations. We give candidates case studies with complex business challenges such as managing a team under pressure, making critical decisions, or navigating difficult stakeholder situations. I must say, observing how they handle real-time problem-solving reveals far more than any interview answer.

I recall considering a group of candidates with impressive resumes but very limited management experience. We had them attempt a project management scenario, and one candidate with no formal management background absolutely excelled. She demonstrated incredible resourcefulness, quickly organizing a team and prioritizing tasks. This simulation showed me she had genuine leadership instincts that her resume couldn’t even capture.

Holly Andrews, Managing Director, KIS Finance

Provide Clear Structure for Early-Career Talent

Hire for clarity, not charisma. Most early-career talent wants structure — show them what success looks like and how to get there. Give them room to grow, but set guardrails. A clear path beats flashy perks when you’re scaling leadership from within.

Hillel Zafir, CEO, incentX

Create Rotational Management Development Programs

Recruiting a large cohort of early-career candidates into management roles requires more than simply scaling up your standard process. From my work leading e-commerce divisions and consulting for global organizations, I have seen the most sustainable results when employers approach this challenge as a strategic talent pipeline initiative, not a transactional hiring campaign.

One highly effective strategy is to design a rotational management development program tailored specifically for early-career talent. This approach has been crucial in the e-commerce and retail sectors where I have built high-performing teams at scale. Instead of hiring into static roles, candidates enter a structured path that exposes them to key functions — such as operations, digital marketing, supply chain, and customer experience — over 18 to 24 months. Each rotation is tied to clear business outcomes and performance metrics, so participants learn in real operational contexts, not just classrooms.

A well-designed program of this kind does two things. First, it attracts ambitious candidates who want accelerated growth and responsibility, not just a job title. Second, it lets you rigorously assess real-world leadership potential before placing someone in a management seat. In my experience, this significantly improves both retention and on-the-job performance, as future managers have both the cross-functional perspective and company-specific context to make strong decisions.

I have seen member companies leverage similar talent programs to build a pipeline of next-generation managers who are ready to step into leadership as the business expands. The most successful programs combine structured rotations, real project ownership, strong mentorship, and regular feedback cycles.

To execute this well, invest in program design and dedicate experienced leaders to mentorship and coaching, not just administration. The payoff is a steady stream of early-career managers who are aligned with your culture, fully integrated into your business model, and equipped to drive results from their first day in a management role.

Eugene Mischenko, President, E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Association

Develop Internal Talent Through Experiential Learning

I assign importance to the development of internal staff talent in terms of management. We have developed an experiential development path — new hires join us early in their careers and begin to learn our main operations, secure data destruction, asset logistics, and chain of custody procedures, in order to become team leaders. They also take valuable time to process equipment internally, which creates credibility in their operations.

This does not exist in theory. Many of our site managers were once technicians. For example, they were taught R2v3 compliance by touching and handling drives, not through PowerPoint presentations. That working background implies that they teach new employees with authority, having previously performed the duties themselves. One of the managers informed me that months of processing servers enabled him to be more tech-savvy when it came to troubleshooting challenges in the teams since he was mindful of other real-life limitations.

Such an approach prevents leaders who have no niche experience in ITAD from parachuting in. There is no such thing as abstract or theoretical when it comes to sustainability and security without our people.

Gene Genin, CEO, OEM Source

Build Direct College Leadership Pipelines

To get ahead in talent acquisition, create a leadership pipeline directly from colleges. Don’t just participate in career fairs. Connect with professors, clubs, and alumni at top programs in business, hospitality, and engineering. Offer short internships, job shadowing, or online leadership training to top students. This allows you to evaluate potential hires and gives them insight into your company.

Companies like Enterprise and Target have used this strategy to bring many individuals into management by showing a clear career path, providing effective onboarding, and offering regular feedback. Showing candidates how they will grow is key. Pair this with a quick, technology-driven hiring process (a three-step process that is completed in under two weeks), and you’ll secure the best talent early.

Jen Jones, Owner, Hello Decodables

Design Rotational Immersion Programs

I would suggest designing a rotational immersion program to have the early career candidates placed in several different positions within various departments during a fixed time frame, say six to nine months. Not only following, but entrusting them with actual responsibility in every phase. In our case, this may involve attending to guest communications over a couple of weeks and then transitioning into styling of the property, and operational planning of turnover or maintenance. The candidate will own a portion of the business every few weeks, and there will be clear goals and direct responsibility. That will provide them with perspective, and more importantly, it will give you the idea of how they react under pressure and what they excel in.

This should result in leadership positions at the end of the cycle being given according to performance measures that have been tracked rather than gut feeling or fitting personality. Decision making, clarity of communications, coordination of people or vendors, and initiative in unplanned situations are scored using a points system. In this process, we once employed a manager who was 22 years old. She had no formal experience yet was 3rd of 40 on our internal metrics in eight weeks. Such evidence-based clarity has saved us thousands of dollars in poor fit hires.

Marta Pawlik, Creative Director, Interior Designer, Co-Founder & Director, Laik