BDO South Africa, a reputable name in professional services, is currently seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to join their Cape Town team as a Graduate Recruitment Officer. This permanent position is an ideal opportunity for a candidate who is passionate about talent acquisition, student engagement, and organisational growth.
With a strong emphasis on building relationships and aligning recruitment strategies with business goals, this role plays a pivotal part in shaping the future of BDO’s workforce.
Implementing Graduate Recruitment Strategies
The Graduate Recruitment Officer at BDO South Africa is expected to play a supportive yet impactful role in the execution of both national and regional recruitment strategies. This includes managing end-to-end recruitment campaigns that target graduates, interns, and vacation work candidates. By working closely with different service lines and HR partners, the officer helps to determine the specific graduate talent requirements and ensures these align with the company’s workforce planning.
A key part of this responsibility involves meticulous planning and execution, ensuring that each recruitment campaign is not only timely but also effective in attracting the right candidates. From initial campaign conceptualisation to final onboarding, the role demands a high level of organisation and strategic thinking.
Driving Campus Engagement and Brand Awareness
An integral aspect of the Graduate Recruitment Officer’s duties involves establishing and nurturing relationships with universities and tertiary institutions. By attending and coordinating on-campus events such as career fairs, student presentations, and academic competitions, the officer helps to elevate BDO’s brand visibility and reputation as an employer of choice.
This campus engagement extends beyond just presence—it includes strategising and executing targeted attraction campaigns that highlight BDO’s core values and unique career opportunities. In doing so, the officer must confidently represent BDO, showcasing the firm’s commitment to developing young talent.
Managing Candidate Selection and Recruitment Processes
One of the more hands-on responsibilities of the role includes managing the candidate sourcing and selection process. This involves reviewing applications, scheduling interviews, coordinating assessments—including psychometric tests—and ensuring timely communication throughout the recruitment lifecycle.
Providing a positive candidate experience is paramount. The Graduate Recruitment Officer must act as a liaison between applicants and internal stakeholders, ensuring all interactions reflect BDO’s values of professionalism and respect.
Additionally, the officer supports recruitment compliance and accurate record-keeping through the use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Excel-based trackers. These systems enable the monitoring of candidate progress and help in generating insightful reports and dashboards for internal use.
Collaborating with Stakeholders and Supporting New Hires
Success in this role depends significantly on collaboration with various stakeholders, including business units, P&C Business Partners, and leadership teams. The Graduate Recruitment Officer must provide regular updates, manage expectations, and ensure transparency in all recruitment efforts.
Post-selection, the officer plays a vital role in onboarding new hires. This includes offer generation, issuing contracts, and coordinating pre-employment screening. The Graduate Recruitment Officer also assists with graduate induction and facilitates their smooth integration into BDO’s working environment, in partnership with the Learning & Development team.
Candidate Requirements and Desired Competencies
To qualify for this role, candidates should hold a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Industrial Psychology, or a related discipline, along with at least two years of experience in graduate recruitment. Previous experience within a professional services environment will be a definite advantage.
Applicants must be based in Cape Town and possess a reliable mode of transport. Flexibility is key, especially the willingness to travel regionally and work outside regular office hours during peak recruitment periods.
Ideal candidates should exhibit strong interpersonal and communication skills, excellent organisational abilities, and a detail-oriented mindset. Technical proficiency in MS Excel and ATS platforms such as Direct Hire is also essential.
BDO values individuals who embody collaboration, client service excellence, and a passion for continuous improvement. The right candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment and take pride in fostering the next generation of professionals.
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