Latest news : Graduates missing out on jobs with SMEs

Graduates are turning a blind eye to small business enterprises and social channels for job seeking, according to an SME service provider. 05/01/2012

Research by Iconnyx argues that graduates need to find ways of locating more obvious job opportunities in smaller enterprises.

Only one in five graduates are proactively seeking out jobs with SMEs and only one in ten are using social media to acquire employment.

‘The issues for both ‘top talent’ graduates and growing SMEs alike, are frustrating in that there is no obvious forum for the two to connect and ‘sell’ to each other,’ said Tim Walker, managing director of Iconnyx.

The research is collated from UK SMEs and recruitment agencies and shows that only 25% of graduates sought SME opportunities, believing that larger companies offered more opportunity and stability.

Only 10% of graduates have LinkedIn profiles and use the network to find opportunities, whilst only one in three graduates have heard of LinkedIn or been advised by their university to research the social network.

‘Universities need to alert their talent to the opportunities that exist in small to medium businesses as well as channels for reaching them. It’s frustrating to see that high-growth companies typically lose out on the best of graduate talent for these reasons. Universities should invite SMEs and networks like LinkedIn into the student community far earlier,’ added Tim Walker.

To aid this cause, entrepreneur Duncan Cheatle has partnered with Iconnyx to launch the Rise To challenge, a six week competition helping students and graduates to learn practical business skills and gain valuable insight into running a business. The challenge offers unique prizes including one-off internships, jobs and training.

‘There is nothing more exciting or eye-opening than the chance to start out your career working alongside founders and CEO’s,' said Duncan Cheatle.