Understanding the experience of college graduates during their first year of employment

Abstract A company's college recruitment practices, as well as its socialization processes for graduates once they have joined the organization, can be improved when there is understanding of college graduates' experience during the first year of employment. This study recorded the experiences of eight college graduates who were employed by a medical device manufacturer in the Midwest. Nine themes common to all participants are identified and grouped into three categories: work environment, friendship, and performance. Related research on college graduates and first‐job experiences, Generations X and Y, job expectations, and new‐hire socialization is also reviewed. Recommendations are offered for consideration by the organization that employs the study's participants to improve college graduates' experience. Further research implications are also discussed.