Interested in receiving content like this directly in your email? Sign up for Tallo’s employer newsletter.
You hired an apprentice, intern, or entry-level employee. They’re smart, motivated, and ready to learn. You saw their potential—that’s why you brought them on.
So why do so many early talent hires struggle after the first 90 days?
The problem isn’t the talent. It’s that most organizations treat early-career employees like smaller versions of experienced hires—expecting them to ramp up quickly with minimal structure, figure things out on their own, and somehow develop the skills they don’t have yet.
That approach fails. And when it does, employers assume “early talent just doesn’t work out” and go back to competing for experienced candidates at premium prices.
Here’s the reality: early talent development isn’t optional. It’s the difference between wasting your investment and building a sustainable pipeline.
The employers who get this right don’t just hire early talent—they upskill them strategically from day one. Here’s where to start.
Define What “Success” Actually Means (Before They Start)
One of the biggest mistakes employers make? Assuming early talent knows what success looks like in your organization.
They don’t.
A student who excelled in class or worked retail part-time hasn’t learned your systems, your communication norms, or your definition of “good work.” And if you don’t define it clearly, they’ll guess—and probably guess wrong.
Before your next early talent hire starts, answer these questions:
What skills do they need in the first 90 days? Not eventually. Not “nice to have.” What do they actually need to succeed in month one, two, and three?
What separates high performers from average ones in this role? Is it attention to detail? Speed? Communication? Initiative? Be specific.
Which skills can you teach quickly vs. which take time? Some skills—like using your CRM or following your processes—can be taught in days. Others—like judgment, strategic thinking, or client relationships—take months. Know the difference.
How Tallo helps: When you hire through Tallo, you get early visibility into candidates’ existing skills and career goals before they start. You’re not guessing what they know—you’re building a development plan based on what they actually bring and what gaps exist.
Build Structure, Not Rigidity
Early talent performs best with clear direction—but not micromanagement.
The goal is to give them a roadmap without removing autonomy. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
30-60-90 Day Milestones
What should they accomplish by the end of month one? Month two? Month three?
Define success at each stage. Month one might be “understands our systems and can complete basic tasks independently.” Month two: “manages own workload and asks clarifying questions proactively.” Month three: “contributes to team projects and identifies process improvements.”
When employees know what they’re working toward, they ramp faster and stay more engaged.
Mix Guided Learning with Real Work
Don’t trap them in training modules for two weeks. Blend learning with doing: teach them something, let them apply it immediately, then debrief.
Early talent learns faster when they can connect training to real outcomes. “Here’s how our sales process works” means more after they’ve shadowed a sales call than before.
Regular Check-Ins (Not Just Annual Reviews)
Weekly or bi-weekly 15-minute check-ins in the first 90 days prevent small issues from becoming big problems. Ask:
- What’s going well?
- What’s confusing or unclear?
- What do you need from me this week?
This isn’t hand-holding. It’s preventing expensive mistakes and building confidence early.
Prioritize Learning By Doing (Not Death By Training Module)
Here’s what doesn’t work: hiring an apprentice or intern, sitting them through a week of onboarding videos, then expecting them to “figure it out.”
Here’s what does: giving them real work with appropriate support.
Upskilling happens fastest when it’s applied in real time:
Stretch Assignments Tied to Business Goals Give them a project slightly above their current skill level—something meaningful but not critical. Let them struggle a little, then debrief: “What did you learn? What would you do differently?”
This builds problem-solving skills, confidence, and ownership.
Cross-Functional Exposure Let them shadow other departments or sit in on meetings outside their immediate role. They’ll understand how their work fits into the bigger picture—and they’ll develop a broader skill set faster.
Mentorship or Peer Pairing Pair them with a strong performer (not their direct manager) who can answer questions, model good work, and provide informal feedback. Mentorship doesn’t have to be formal—it just has to be consistent.
Why this matters: Employers who use apprenticeships report significantly higher retention rates (94% of apprentices stay with their employer after program completion, according to the U.S. Department of Labor). The reason? They’re learning by doing, not sitting through theory.
Don’t Skip the Non-Job Skills (Like Financial Literacy)
Not all critical skills are role-specific.
Many early-career employees enter the workforce without understanding budgeting, credit, benefits, or how to evaluate total compensation. That’s not their fault—most schools don’t teach it.
But it becomes your problem when financial stress leads to distraction, disengagement, or turnover.
Smart employers include financial wellness in their upskilling strategy:
Benefits Education Don’t just hand them a benefits packet. Walk them through it. Explain what a deductible is, why a 401(k) match matters, and how FSA/HSA accounts work. Many early talent employees skip enrollment because they don’t understand the value.
Budgeting for Real Life Offer a session (even just 30 minutes) on budgeting based on their actual salary. Show them how to think about rent, transportation, student loans, and savings. This isn’t paternalistic—it’s practical.
Compensation Transparency Help them understand gross vs. net pay, how benefits factor into total compensation, and what career progression looks like financially at your company.
The ROI: Employees who feel financially stable are more focused, more productive, and less likely to leave for a marginal pay increase elsewhere.
Track What’s Working (And What Isn’t)
Upskilling early talent isn’t a one-time initiative. It’s an ongoing strategy that gets better with data.
Track these metrics:
Skill Progression Are they hitting the 30-60-90 day milestones you defined? Where are they ahead? Where are they struggling?
Engagement with Development Are they using the resources you’re providing (mentorship, training, stretch projects)? If not, why?
Retention and Performance Outcomes How many early talent hires are still with you after six months? A year? How many are promoted? How do their performance reviews compare to experienced hires at similar tenure?
Use this data to refine your approach. If most apprentices struggle with a specific skill in month two, build more support around it upfront for the next cohort.
How Tallo helps: Employers using Tallo get pipeline insights—understanding trends in what skills early talent bring, what gaps are common, and where development efforts create the most impact.
Show Them What’s Next (Or Watch Them Leave)
Development doesn’t stop after onboarding. Early talent knows this—and if you don’t show them a path forward, they’ll find one elsewhere.
Retention-focused employers make growth visible:
Map Career Pathways Show them what advancement looks like. If they start as an apprentice, what’s the next role? What about after that? Even a simple progression chart helps.
Define Skills for Advancement Don’t make promotion criteria mysterious. Tell them exactly what skills, experience, or achievements qualify someone for the next level.
Connect Current Work to Future Opportunities When assigning projects, explain how the work builds skills they’ll need later. “This project will teach you client management, which is critical if you want to move into account leadership.”
When employees can see what’s next, they stay longer. And the cost of replacing an early talent hire who leaves after six months far exceeds the cost of a clear development plan.
The Real ROI of Upskilling Early Talent
Here’s what employers who invest in early talent development see:
Higher retention – Employees who receive structured development stay longer (apprentices have 90%+ retention rates vs. 50-60% for traditional entry-level hires)
Faster productivity – Employees who understand expectations and have support ramp up faster
Stronger culture – Teams built through apprenticeships and structured development programs have stronger mentorship cultures
Lower hiring costs – Building talent internally costs less than constantly competing for experienced hires
Competitive advantage – You’re developing talent your way, with your systems, aligned to your needs—not hoping someone trained elsewhere will adapt
Start Before They Start
The best upskilling strategies begin before day one.
When you hire through Tallo, you’re not just filling a position—you’re connecting with candidates who’ve already showcased their skills, interests, and career goals. You know what they bring. You know what they need to learn. You can build a development plan that sets them up to succeed from the start.
That’s the difference between reactive training (hoping they figure it out) and proactive development (setting them up to thrive).
Most companies scramble to train early talent after they’re already struggling. The employers who win are the ones who plan for success before the first day.
Ready to build your early talent pipeline? Find apprentices and interns on Tallo—and get the visibility you need to develop them strategically from day one.