Not all work experience equal for graduates
21 June 2013
With most graduates having work experience, the quality of that work experience has become more important, says Gerry Wyatt, operations director at graduate-jobs.com.
Fri, 21 Jun 2013
With most graduates having work experience, the quality of that work experience has become more important, says Gerry Wyatt, operations director at graduate-jobs.com.
According to research of 20,331 students by job board graduate-jobs.com, four out of five students graduating this year have work experience, with just 21% not having worked before as they enter this year’s jobs market.
“In such a competitive job environment it’s crucial for graduates to stand out to recruiters by being able to demonstrate a work ethic and career aptitude when they apply for a job,” Wyatt says.
“With employers looking for the ‘best fit’ candidate, it’s crucial that graduates seek work experience which best fits their intended careers.”
Bournemouth University tops the list of UK universities by proportion of graduates with work experience, with 89.4% of leavers having work experience, ahead of 87.9% at the University of Surrey and 87.8% at Aston University.
Dan Hawse, co-founder of niche staffing company the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, tells Recruiter that while graduate recruiters look for work experience, its importance shouldn’t be overstated.
“Students think that internships are a passport to find work, but that is not always the case, because the degree is the most important thing,” he says.
Graduate employers still tend to look for those with a degree in a theoretical subject, such as engineering, science or maths from “a good university”, says Hawse.
“It is better to get a 2:1 degree rather than a 2:2 with work experience,” he adds.
With most graduates having work experience, the quality of that work experience has become more important, says Gerry Wyatt, operations director at graduate-jobs.com.
According to research of 20,331 students by job board graduate-jobs.com, four out of five students graduating this year have work experience, with just 21% not having worked before as they enter this year’s jobs market.
“In such a competitive job environment it’s crucial for graduates to stand out to recruiters by being able to demonstrate a work ethic and career aptitude when they apply for a job,” Wyatt says.
“With employers looking for the ‘best fit’ candidate, it’s crucial that graduates seek work experience which best fits their intended careers.”
Bournemouth University tops the list of UK universities by proportion of graduates with work experience, with 89.4% of leavers having work experience, ahead of 87.9% at the University of Surrey and 87.8% at Aston University.
Dan Hawse, co-founder of niche staffing company the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, tells Recruiter that while graduate recruiters look for work experience, its importance shouldn’t be overstated.
“Students think that internships are a passport to find work, but that is not always the case, because the degree is the most important thing,” he says.
Graduate employers still tend to look for those with a degree in a theoretical subject, such as engineering, science or maths from “a good university”, says Hawse.
“It is better to get a 2:1 degree rather than a 2:2 with work experience,” he adds.
- Click for more from a conference this week on how diversity in graduate recruitment can be increased through strength-based hiring, or for news from across graduate recruitment.
