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1. KEY POINTS
How many graduate jobs are there? The employment figures for the class of �98 confirmed that a large number of employers want to recruit new first degree graduates, with almost 120,000 in jobs by the beginning of 1999. A survey of the members of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), representing more than 600 of the largest employers of degree holders in the UK, forecast an increase of 5.1% in the number of vacancies for new graduates between 1998 and 1999. Although most employers are still cautious about making long-term predictions, more than half of employers in the survey expected to increase their graduate recruitment during the next three years. The winter 1997/8 Labour Force Survey estimated that there were 6.6 million economically active holders of higher education qualifications of working age in the UK, of whom 96.8% were in employment. The highest numbers of recent graduates are working in the Public administration, business services, education and health, and Banking, finance and insurance sectors. How are graduate jobs changing? Despite the rise in the number of jobs targeted at graduates, the spectacular growth in student numbers in the last decade means that degree holders need to broaden their sights beyond securing a place on a blue chip company�s graduate recruitment scheme. Large recruiters now have to compete against a growing band of small and medium-sized companies who hire one or two graduates at various times during the year The distinction between graduate and non-graduate jobs is also becoming blurred � Moving On, a recent survey of graduates three and a half years after graduation, found that nearly half of those regarding their current job as career-related had not required a degree on entry. Conversely, around a quarter of those who did not regard their job as career-related were in graduate-entry posts. Graduate opportunities have opened up in non-traditional areas such as retailing, and more than one in eight working graduates in the 1998 first destination survey started in secretarial and clerical posts. Even if their first job does not require a degree, many graduates quickly progress to higher level posts. Employers no longer offer a job for life, and a graduate�s career is now likely to consist of a �portfolio� of jobs, with training and experience acquired through a variety of periods of employment. Employers increasingly expect graduates to have self-reliance skills and manage their own career and personal development. There is a lower emphasis on degree subject studied, with one third of all vacancies open to graduates from any discipline. Accountancy, for example is open to all types of graduates who are then trained �on-the-job�. Have employers� expectations of graduates changed? Inevitably, a perceived glut of graduates has forced companies to re-think their recruitment strategies. Sorting applications is a time-consuming process and according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters survey, employers received 59.5 applications on average, for each vacancy. Some employers are responding by targeting particular institutions or departments which they think will supply good quality candidates. Others are raising their minimum qualification requirements, such as degree class. But with so many degree holders clamouring for work, employers are now also concerned about whether graduate job applicants possess so-called core or personal, transferable skills. The skills in highest demand during the 1999 recruitment season were interpersonal skills, team working, motivation and enthusiasm, initiative and proactivity, and flexibility. Employers regard a lack of business awareness as the primary deficiency amongst new graduates. Most recruiters recognise that work experience is the best way for graduates to acquire business skills, and regard candidates as more employable if they have had vacation jobs or sandwich placements. Making Applications and Finding a Job. Each university and college has a careers advisory service within the institution. Most have large information rooms which are generally free to use. Many institutions have careers fairs throughout the year and graduate fairs over the summer months attended by major graduate recruiters. CSU, the Higher Education Careers Services Unit publishes a range of vacancy information on behalf of the careers services including Prospects Today - a fortnightly (weekly in summer) publication with immediate vacancies and postgraduate course information for graduates. Other CSU publications include Prospects Directory, with details of about 500 graduate recruiters, Focus on Law, for those looking for careers in the legal profession and Prospects Finalist - an update magazine published five times throughout the academic year which targets final year students looking for jobs after graduation. The AGR survey of graduate employers highlighted that vacancies in some key areas are proving hard to fill. Employers are still having difficulties filling jobs in information technology, engineering and finance. To assist employers in these problem areas, CSU has a range of publications, the Prospects Focus Series published every Autumn. CSU also has a range of electronic services including email news services for students and graduates and an online CV matching service. Vacancies for graduates can also be found in many national daily newspapers and also on the Internet. Prospects Web, which can be found at http://www.prospects.csu.ac.uk is higher education�s official careers web site, constantly updated with vacancies, information on graduate recruiters and links to their own web sites, labour market information, postgraduate opportunities and careers guidance. A large number of careers services also have their own web sites. Most of these are accessible through Prospects Web. Applications are generally by standard application form, available from careers services, from CSU, online on Prospects Web or employers� own application forms. Employers will specify which method they prefer. Your should also prepare your own Curriculum Vitae. A CV is a useful thing to have when you want to apply speculatively to employers or when you want to complement an application form. A sample CV is included here, together with a covering letter. Please read them carefully and digest the messages they contain, but resist any temptation to copy these or other people�s CVs. Your aim should be to create a CV that will work for you. 2. INTERNET Web sites which may be of interest to young graduates -Universities - www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/ukinfo/uk.map.html -Employment opportunities - www.prospects.csu.ac.uk 3. OTHER PUBLICATIONS National newspapers � The Guardian, The Times, The Independent Recommended reading � Local and regional newspapers like The Evening Standard (London), Manchester Evening News. There is an English equivalent of Success and Career called � Prospects
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