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Mike Hill, Chief Executive of Graduate Prospects spoke with the BBC about graduates, and their prospects, and although he said times were hard, he pointed out that there were still more jobs for graduates now than there were 10 years.
There has been a general upward trend in the amount of entry level graduate jobs advertised and available over the last few years, but still there have been other difficult times, including the dot.com collapse around 2002 / 2003. Research on how top UK companies are recruiting shows that there is a decrease from last year, but there still a lot of jobs available. Inevitably recruitment in certain areas and sectors have been hit harder than others – graduate recruitment in the financial sector has been a high profile case, and it is expected that the amount of graduate jobs available in finance will halve this year. What a lot of people do not take into account though is that only 9% of all graduates went into the financial services sector last year, so the recruitment slow down here need not be indicative of the whole market.
There a lot of things that graduates and students about to graduate and already looking for vacancies, can do though. Mike Hill has suggested that people should be widening their horizons, and considering more of the hundreds of different professions that exist. Previously it may have been easy to target a specific and ideal area, now the advice is to look at more obscure options, and investigating more carefully and thoroughly. Likewise, careers advisors are in a prime position to help people, and it would be prudent to use this free resource if you are thinking or looking for a graduate job.
Prospects advise people to:
1) Take advice – from careers departments for example
2) Broaden your horizons to related professions – many students are surprised at the sheer number of professions that actually exist
3) Consider paid or unpaid work experience - which can set you apart from other candidates who are vying for the same jobs.
4) Do not be too proud to use contacts to get a first break – if there people who can help you get jobs, then approach them
5) Be imaginative – this may show you opportunities that other people do not know about.
6) Consider setting up your own business – funding and help for small businesses may make it possible to start your own venture, and not rely on a conventional graduate job
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) reports that only 5.5% of graduates from 2007 were still unemployed 6 months later. If you follow the advice above you’ll put yourself in the best position to land yourself a graduate job, and although it may not be the easiest process, the rewards are still very much available.
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