Graduate Recruitment Survey Results for 2010

The results of a study conducted by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) are hitting the papers today.

The AGR’s Graduate Recruitment Survey for 2010 looks at the competition for graduate jobs in the current economic climate and the qualities that a graduate needs in order to secure a job in today’s market.

Earlier in the year there were some optimistic signs that things were looking up for recent graduates as it was reported by CBI (Confederation of British Industry) that only 6% of firms were operating a graduate recruitment freeze (e.g not hiring graduates) – this was down from 38% in mid-2009. But the AGR are now claiming that compared to mid 2009, there is a 6.9% decrease in graduate vacancies this summer, which is 4 times what they predicted at the beginning of the year.

It seems that with so many graduates from 2008 and 2009 struggling to find work, there is now a backlog of candidates fighting for the same graduate vacancies in what the AGR deem to be a ‘diminishing pool of jobs’. It is thought that around 69 candidates are competing for the same job compared to 49 per vacancy last year.

The result? Recruiters are being forced to tighten up their selection process to ensure that they’re left with the crème de la crème!

Approximately 77.5% of graduate recruiters are now demanding that their candidates possess a minimum of a 2:1 Honours degree. This is compared to 66.7% requiring this from last year.

Over 1/3 of employers are also recognising the need to have relevant work experience in the industry that you want to work in. For more details on how to get relevant work experience, an internship or an entry-level job, please read our article on WEXO .

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Some sectors such as consulting services, insurance, accountancy and construction are anticipating a rise in offered vacancies this year.

To maximise your chances of securing a graduate job this summer, then do two simple things:

1. Upload your CV for free to Monster , so that recruiters can search the database for the best of the best and you can search for positions.

2. If you haven’t already got relevant work experience, then visit WEXO. Work experience isn’t just for 16 year olds. Top employers such as James Caan from the Dragon’s Den uses the WEXO system to recruit and not all positions advertised are unpaid, so do yourself a favour and get one step ahead of the game!