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As Oxford and Cambridge fall behind Robert Gordon, Glasgow Caledonian and Derby universities on employability, recent research by High Fliers Research stresses the importance of work experience in finding employment.

Work experience continues to be a defining factor in employment according to independent market research company High Fliers Research. The Graduate Market, a study recently released by the research company, states that students with no work experience have “little to no chance” of receiving offers for graduate employment.

High Fliers’ study states: “More than half of recruiters warn that graduates who have had no previous work experience […] are unlikely to be successful during the selection process and have little or no chance of receiving a job offer for their organisations’ graduate programmes”.

The study comes following research by the Guardian indicating that students from Durham, Northampton and Cardiff Metropolitan universities are outperforming Oxbridge students on finding work or postgrad places within six months of graduating.

Out of 151 institutions, Cambridge ranked 20th, while Oxford languished further below at 72nd, despite being ranked first and second respectively in the newspaper’s university league table.

Commentators have speculated that Oxbridge students’ declining employability may stem from the restrictions on term-time employment imposed by the institutions or a lack of work during the extended summer break that creates gaps where work experience may make the difference.

However Oxbridge students remain in demand from employers and are prime candidates for part-time and work experience placements, including Graduate Promotions’ recent vacancies for Student Marketers at Oxford and Cambridge.