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Finding employersOnce you decide your most suitable job role, sector and type of employer, make a list of organisations that interest you, using the best vacancy sites and sources. The following information is available at your careers service: - local employers who are known to recruit graduates;
- jobs and employers that graduates of your degree subject at your university have pursued - destination information for UK graduates by subject is available at what do graduates do?;
- professional institution resources - they may publish a list of member companies and industry vacancies;
- trade associations listing member companies.
There are several directories of graduate employers published annually, which contain vacancies for the year ahead and background information on featured employers. All are available from careers services: Commercial directories, which are often available in university libraries, may help you find organisations in a particular sector. They also provide company information, such as staff information and financial turnover. Many directories have online versions, which may only be available if your library subscribes: If you already have particular employers in mind, visit their websites, which are likely to include all the details you need and an online application facility. Many organisations recruit through their sites, particularly in the technology sector. back to top Finding vacanciesThere are two main cycles of graduate recruitment: Immediate vacanciesThese are vacancies generally aimed at graduates by organisations that recruit when they need to fill a post. Newly created vacancies with large employers and gap-filling vacancies in major recruitment programmes may also be immediate. Forward or future vacanciesMostly beginning in the autumn, these vacancies are offered mainly by organisations that recruit large numbers of graduates. They are usually aimed at new graduates and final-year students. back to top Vacancy publicationsVacancy publications are available from a variety of sources: - Careers services often publish future and immediate vacancy bulletins, frequently containing local and regional vacancies.
- Careers services also publicise employers who give presentations or hold interviews on campus - ask your careers services for details.
- Prospects Finalist is published four times over the year from October to May, available from your careers service.
- Jobs and Courses is a fortnightly digital magazine with jobs, courses and news.
- Graduate employer directories, as mentioned in ‘Finding employers'.
back to top Other vacancy resourcesGo to my prospects - registration, this is a recruitment service that allows employers search your details to match the types of jobs they offer. You may also choose to have job and course vacancies sent to you by email or text. National graduate recruitment fairs take place every autumn in Glasgow and London. Summer recruitment fairs are organised in various places, including Birmingham, in June and July. These events are open to graduates of any institution. Details are available at careers fairs. There are also specialist fairs for law, teaching, postgraduates and work experience. Some national and local papers specialise in particular types of jobs on particular days. Most newspapers list jobs in a searchable database on their websites that you may check regularly. Specialist journals are a useful source for some jobs. Although their job advertisements are frequently aimed at people with related work experience, there may be graduate level posts as well. They help you identify potential future employers and keep up to date with sector news, building your commercial awareness. Find out which journals are appropriate by looking at relevant occupations in explore types of jobs and relevant sectors in industry insights. Your tutors or subject librarians may also have suggestions. Jobcentre Plus has a wide range of vacancies and details of training programmes, such as Jobcentre Plus. There are occasional local or specialist programmes, sometimes run in conjunction with local employers. Visit their website, contact Jobseeker Direct on 0845 6060234, or visit a Jobcentre Plus office to access vacancy details. back to top When do employers recruit?Graduate recruitment has changed in recent years. Traditional approaches, like campus recruitment visits, are still important to employers, but organisations are increasingly using more creative and diverse approaches to reach new talent. Websites are the principal source of information about employers and provide the main, or sometimes only, route for applications. The pattern of deadlines has also changed. You may be able to apply at any time of year, but it is essential to confirm application dates if you want to avoid missing out. back to top Annual recruitment cycleLarge employers often have an annual graduate recruitment scheme, planned far in advance, to meet operational and business development needs. This type of recruitment is aimed at both finalists and recent graduates. The latter may be particularly appealing to employers if they offer additional skills or experience. The process may be lengthy - every year there are deadlines as early as October for some companies. Many of these jobs begin the following autumn or summer. These are often referred to as future vacancies. However, there are increasing opportunities to join training programmes at different times of the year. Many employers now use online application forms, publishing graduate recruitment brochures exclusively on their websites. Some companies still use paper application forms, while some employers like CVs, and some prefer that an applicant provides both. A covering letter is usually an appropriate accompaniment to a CV, but it is essential to follow instructions carefully and submit whatever is requested. Whatever the format, your application must be targeted to show that you meet the employer’s requirements of qualifications, skills and experience for the post. Online systems make it easier for recruiters to sift out unsuitable applicants on the basis of simple factual information, e.g. exam results, if they wish. Remaining applications are considered by recruitment personnel. They evaluate the application form or CV according to the criteria they have set for the role. Applicants must address all the employer’s needs, providing evidence to indicate how they match these criteria. For further information about applications go to applications, CVs and interviews. Large employers’ recruitment processThere are likely to be several steps after the online or paper application as you move towards securing the job. The order varies between employers, but you may face psychometric or aptitude testing, a telephone interview, a face-to-face interview (there may be more than one) and an assessment centre, which involves a variety of tasks. Telephone interviews and online tests are not only economical for the employer, but also easier for the applicant to fit in around work or study. However, you may need to travel several times over a period of weeks or months for selection activities. This may be very time consuming, especially if you are applying to several organisations. Smaller employers and immediate vacanciesWorkforce requirements change frequently, so employers recruit new staff whenever they need to throughout the year. Posts may become vacant when a member of staff moves on or growth necessitates the creation of new jobs. Smaller employers nearly always use ‘just in time’ recruitment, only advertising vacancies when they arise. Large employers may also need to fill additional posts at relatively short notice, even if they have a graduate recruitment scheme in place. Any roles advertised after Easter and through the summer effectively become immediate vacancies, since finalists who apply are likely to be available for work by the time the selection process is completed. Speculative applicationsIt is sometimes possible to obtain a non-advertised job by approaching the employer directly with a carefully targeted CV and covering letter. Use options with your subject, to find out about recruitment practices for jobs that interest you. Also see networking for more information.
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