Tough job market calls for planning
GRADUATES are set to face higher levels of job competition this summer.
The number of roles advertised for graduates fell 8 pc year-on-year in April, according to jobs search website Adzuna.
co.uk. But with careful planning, you can boost your chances.
Maral Heidari graduated in pharmacology in 2015, but only found internships. So she returned to university to do an MSc and is now looking for a job in pharmaceutical sales.
Maral, 23, says: ‘ It’s tough. Employers want experience even for entry-level jobs. I have event management and customer skills, but companies want targetdriven sales experience.’
Londoner Maral, who finishes her MSc in September, says: ‘I wish I’d focused on getting the right experience earlier. I’d advise students to get help from university careers offices in year one, because the earlier you select a career route, the sooner you can get the right information and experience to make your job search easier.’
Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, says: ‘Graduates face one of the toughest job markets in recent times, but ultimately they might have the upper hand because many graduate schemes involve fast-tracking to managerial positions.’
Adzuna found that the best places to find graduate jobs were Cambridge and Oxford, with only eight candidates for every 100 roles and 12 per 100 respectively.
Dan Hawes, co-founder and marketing director at Graduate Recruitment Bureau, says: ‘With 500,000 graduates about to enter the jobs market and about 30,000 graduate jobs offered by big-name recruiters, graduating students must shift focus on job search now.
‘Don’t take the first job you can get. Take a broader look at the job market. There are many hidden opportunities.’