There are many myths relating to what graduates do after leaving higher education particularly as higher education has expanded in recent years and has a much higher profile in the public eye. In this article, we identify some of the more enduring 'graduate myths' and demonstrate how, when it comes to labour market information, things are rarely as straightforward as they seem. Q: A degree guarantees a 'good' job
A: The 15th annual Income Data Services (IDS) survey of graduate pay and progression states that competition for graduates is set to intensify, with firms planning to boost their intake by nearly 20% overall, but the possession of a degree is no longer a passport to a job. Graduates will need to develop a number of transferable skills in order to prove their competence for particular jobs and careers. These include business awareness and commercial skills, project management, team working and communication. Structured work experience came top when employers were asked to rate the importance of a number of activities used to select potential recruits in an annual study of top employers by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR)/ Financial Times. Employers want graduates who have a firm grip on the 'world of work' via 'any form of work experience' whether it be a part-time job whilst at university or a structured work experience scheme. Q: Graduates only work for large, blue- chip organisations
A: The UK's blue-chip companies accommodate around a fifth of graduates each year and competition for places remains fierce but an increasing number of graduates are starting work with small and medium-sized organisations. A report from the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) has found that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly viewing higher education institutions as recruitment territory. Students are drawn to SMEs in the lucrative IT and marketing industries, perceiving them to operate a less formal corporate structure than large blue-chip companies. Two million new jobs are predicted in the small business sector in the next ten years and the SME sector will be a major driver of job creation in the UK. Q: Employers don't value time spent on a gap year either before or after university
A: A survey by AGR, a body of the UK's leading graduate recruiters, has overwhelmingly endorsed taking a year out as a way of equipping graduates with vital skills such as communication, problem-solving, decision making and relationship building. In the study called Time Well Spent, over 80% of recruiters agreed applicants with these skills would find it easier to progress through their organisation in the longer term. Q: Graduate jobs mean rapid promotion and job-for-life security
A: Not necessarily so. According to Skills for Graduates in the 21st Century (AGR) many organisations are becoming flatter and less hierarchical. Lateral promotion is becoming more common, with staff developing their skills and expertise without necessarily climbing the corporate ladder. Q: If you have a degree you won't need to do any more studying
A: In the Government's Green Paper on Lifelong Learning, it identifies the need for a 'Learning Age' where 'equipping people with the right knowledge and skills will be crucial to maintaining high and sustainable levels of employment and price stability'. Your degree may only be your starting point. Q: I don't need to apply for jobs until after I have graduated
A: It's true that many graduates do not begin to apply for jobs until they have graduated for a number of reasons and many succeed in finding suitable employment. However, employers are targeting graduates earlier and earlier and if you are seeking a career with a large blue-chip employer you may need to start a lot earlier! In a survey of the Times Top 500 companies, over a fifth of graduate employers developed relationships with potential candidates whilst they were still at school. Only 39% of graduate recruiters considered the Christmas term of a student's final year to be the most effective time to start developing a relationship with potential recruits and many have no vacancies by graduation in many of the popular career areas. Summer placements were found to be the most effective method of attracting quality candidates so students need to use their vacation times effectively to build up their CV. Q: Graduate jobs are always advertised
A: It's true that many employers don't advertise their vacancies publicly. Each year many graduates find jobs via informal networks (eg tutors, friends, etc). Who you know (and who knows you) is as important as what you know. Today's graduates must be web-aware and regard the internet as an 'obvious' place to look for information and services. 98% of the Times Top 500 companies employers have used the Internet for graduate recruitment. Q: If I don't do a vocational degree, I will limit my job opportunities
A: A host of national surveys have questioned employers about what they want from their graduate recruits. Employers are more concerned with transferable skills and work experience than degree discipline and indeed around 40% of all graduate vacancies do not specify a particular subject let alone a vocational degree. Employers are looking for the key skills that a degree should develop such as willingness to learn, teamwork, communication skills and problem solving. Sources
Time Well Spent, AGR/Community Service Volunteers (CSV), 2000. Results of the Labour Market Activity Survey, AGCAS Graduate Labour Market Sub-Committee, 2000. Small Business Sector Report, Foresight Financial Services. IDS Management Pay Review. Pay and Progression for Graduates 2001, Incomes Data Services Ltd, Feb 2001, £58, Tel: 020 7250 3434. Britain's Top Employers Value Experience, Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), 09/04/01. Graduates in the Eyes of Employers, Park HR, £150, Tel: 020 7636 1111. email: London.box@parkhr.com. | 
