Latest news : Graduates work more hours

Graduates are working longer hours than ever in a bid to get themselves on the career ladder, according to a new survey. 01/07/2011

One in seven graduates has a working week of more than 50 hours, with the figure rising to 18% of those in London, says Graduate Prospects’ annual Real Prospects survey.

Graduates feel increasingly under pressure to prove themselves in their new roles, with just under half of the 22,000 surveyed feeling that they should work more than their contracted hours. The most pressurised work sectors are legal services (71%), accountancy (54%) and PR and marketing (53%).

‘Generation Y has been regarded as the ‘lazy generation’, favouring life over work, but the research points to quite the opposite with many graduates developing a strong work ethic as in previous generations,’ said Mike Hill, Graduate Prospect’s chief executive.

‘This is undoubtedly a sign of the times. The labour market remains uncertain and the full impact of the public sector cuts is yet to be seen. Graduates are working hard to ensure they remain in employment and get ahead,’ he added.

The research also examined graduate attitudes to pay, with only 53% of those surveyed satisfied with their salary. Just over three-quarters (77%) earn less than £30,000 per year, with the majority of graduates falling between into the £20,000 - £25,000 bracket. Almost a third (30%) feel that their pay and benefits package makes them worse off than colleagues in similar roles.