Graduate jobs search demands more

By Natalie Higgins
BBC Scotland

Jobs for graduates were expected to increase, before recession set in

Careers fairs are an important fixture in the diaries of many students as they prepare for life after final exams and graduation.

This year, with unemployment rising faster than at any time since the 1980s and reports of job losses appearing on a daily basis, securing the perfect job could seem more daunting than usual.

A total of 58 businesses, universities and voluntary and training organisations are to attend the Graduate Fair at the SECC on Wednesday and Thursday, down from 82 exhibitors at last year's event.

A survey by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) in February predicted the total number of graduate positions available would fall by 5.4% in 2009, the first drop since 2003.

Originally, last summer, recruiters had anticipated an increase of nearly 12% - but then the recession hit.

In April, a follow-up survey showed 60% of the 124 recruiters who responded had lowered the number of graduates they expected to employ since the recruitment cycle began last October.

Opportunities available

But despite the gloom, Linda Murdoch, who represents the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) in Scotland, said: "There are opportunities out there for those who are willing to look for them."

She believes media reports of redundancies and cutbacks have contributed to pessimism among graduates.

"They think there are no jobs, so there's no point in trying," said Ms Murdoch, who is also deputy director of Glasgow University's Careers Service.

She rejects that stance, citing hundreds of vacancies on the university's careers website and the concerns of employers who say they have not received enough applications to fill positions.

In her experience, increased competition for jobs has not prompted more students to pro-actively seek careers guidance or advice on applications and interviews.

People who had never talked about doing a postgraduate course are now deciding to do it.

Linda Murdoch, AGCAS Scotland

"There probably are students who are trying harder. But there is no perceptible difference in the number coming to see us," she added.

"They're not coming in great droves as you might expect in a recession, and that's a worry because it either means the situation has not hit them; or they have not let it hit them and are ignoring it."

A division is growing, Ms Murdoch believes, between students who focus on securing a job as early as possible, and those who are unsure of what career path to take and so delay making applications.

She said discussions with AGCAS colleagues had revealed that job-hunting seminars in its careers services were not well-attended.

"Those who knew what they wanted to do and went for it were already fixed up by January; and those that didn't know what they wanted to do decided to concentrate on exams and put off finding work," she said.

"You've got to be pro-active during a recession, because it's an invitation not to be pro-active."

Finance falters

At the careers fair, the banks are conspicuous by their absence.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, Halifax Bank of Scotland and Lloyds TSB all exhibited at a similar graduate fair at the same venue last October.

Their decision not to attend this week's event suggests there may be no graduate jobs left to promote.

Websites advertising graduate employment at RBS and Lloyd's TSB say the banks were overwhelmed by demand for jobs beginning in 2009.

The banks were unable to provide details of the number of graduates they will take on this year. The AGR's February survey predicted a 28% drop in banking vacancies this year.

Perhaps tellingly, the Financial Services Authority is attending the event for the first time in four years, while HM Treasury is exhibiting for the first time.

The FSA said it had filled all its graduate vacancies for 2009, but was attending to encourage students to apply in 2010.

Bright spots

Although competition in some sectors seems fiercer than ever, Linda Murdoch said there was still demand in the oil industry and in engineering, where the AGR's February survey indicated vacancies would be 8.3% higher than predicted last summer.

And she was reassured that companies had not stopped recruitment altogether, as was the case in the last recession.

One of the Graduate Fair's organisers noted that some students now seemed more prepared to take the initiative.

Some businesses have seen applications arrive earlier and in greater quantities than expected, from students trying to beat the jobs rush.

Dianne Reid, graduate recruitment officer at Ernst & Young, said the company noted an definite increase in early applications this year.

Applicants to postgraduate courses at Edinburgh University are up 54%

Among graduates-to-be who are uncertain of their next move, postgraduate qualifications are proving a popular alternative.

But there is concern that this could be a stop-gap measure, allowing students to put off decisions until the jobs market improves.

While five universities attended last year's Graduate Fair, 12 are due to set up their stalls this year - and they could well benefit from the anxieties of students.

Linda Murdoch believes this strategy could prolong rather than solve graduates' problems.

She said: "People who had never talked about doing a postgraduate course are now deciding to do it. For a lot of students it might not be the answer, because next year they'll come out of the course and have to look for a job."

Applicants for postgraduate courses at Edinburgh University are 54% higher than last year. Dundee University has received 38% more postgraduate applications from overseas, and 13% more from the UK and EU, with economics and international business among the most popular subjects.

Increased competition for funding could make postgraduate courses more of a financial burden for students, many of whom will have existing tuition fee debt.

The AGR's February survey indicates that two thirds of employers surveyed favoured applicants with temporary paid employment on their CV.

About 40% thought taking a year out was a good choice, with 30% believing further study would give graduates an edge when looking for work.