Graduate vacancies on the up, survey finds

New research has indicated that an increasing number of vacancies are open to graduate job hunters, although initial salaries have remained largely static over the last 12 months.

According to a survey compiled by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), there was an 8.9 per cent rise in employment opportunities in 2009-10, with a strong end to the year helping the market to recover from a sluggish start.

“It is heartening to see that after so many months of misery for graduates, the job market is finally picking up,” said AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard. “These results signal that the graduate market is overcoming the impact of the recession.”

However, the average graduate wage remained static at £25,000 and Mr Gilleard admitted that companies’ unwillingness to offer financial incentives for newcomers was evidence that demand continued to outweigh supply.

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Bosses seeking practical advice on how to locate the finest young talent and help it to bloom should consider attending the Graduate Recruitment and Development Forum on February 1st 2011.

Posted by Hayley Edwards