Graduate starting salaries up again but no vacancy growth, says AGR

The average start salary for UK graduate entry roles is set to rise higher than previously predicted, by 6% to £26.5k.
Wed, 4 Jul 2012
The average start salary for UK graduate entry roles is set to rise higher than previously predicted, by 6% to £26.5k.

This the prediction is based on the Association of Graduate Recruiters’ (AGR’s) bi-annual survey 215 of its member firms across the private and public sectors, published today (4 July).The winter 2012 edition (published 26 January) saw recruiters predict a 4% rise to £26k, following three consecutive years of salary standstill from 2009-11.

Meanwhile, the number of vacancies for graduates was predicted to dip by a marginal 0.6%, accompanied by a decline in the applications per place so far this year, from a record 83 in 2011, to 73 this year.

A 2:1 degree classification remains the most common selection criteria used by graduate recruiters, with 76% using it as minimum entry standard for the graduates they recruit. This increased from 73% last year.

AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard says: “While graduate recruitment and development programmes are part of employers’ long-term strategy, the graduate job market is inextricably linked to business confidence.

“With the continuing uncertainty in the Eurozone, it is encouraging to see that employers are still talent-planning for the future and that the number of graduate vacancies is remaining constant.”

For more on graduate recruitment in 2012, see Colin Cottell’s feature in Recruiter (February) ‘Graduating with the wrong skills’.

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