Employability and myths uncovered

A degree alone is not enough. Employers are looking for more than just technical skills and knowledge of a degree discipline. They particularly value skills such as communication, teamworking and problem solving. Job applicants who can demonstrate that they have developed these skills will have a real advantage.

Digby Jones - Director-General, Confederation of British Industry. Forward to Prospects Directory 2004/5

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21st century graduates need to demonstrate to employers that they can 'hit the ground running'. In addition to working hard to gain a good degree, students should engage in extra curricular activities and obtain work experience in order to develop skills that will make them better prepared for the world of work. It is also important for students to become self aware and develop the confidence to market themselves effectively when the time comes to apply for jobs.

Carl Gilleard – Chief Executive, Association of Graduate Recruiters.

Leaving university with a good degree is a pre-requisite in the graduate employment market, but this alone is not enough to secure your first graduate job.

How does an employer choose the right person from a hundred applicants all with the same class of degree? The skills you develop whilst at school/college and university and the experiences you gain will all help to give you the edge over the next candidate. The good news is that this means it is essential not just to bury your head in a book all the time when you are at university, but to continue with your interests and work experience which help to enrich your life, not to mention your CV.

Analysis of years of national employer surveys suggests the desired skills for graduates fall into four broad areas. Table 1 lists some of these skills, along with examples of how you can develop them. Take a look at the examples given and take time to review your own skills. You may have already started this process if you have a Record of Achievement/Progress File. Many university courses may require certain skills, especially vocational ones like medicine or law. Look carefully at prospectuses and entry profiles on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website (www.ucas.com) to find out what they are looking for.

According to the Pay and Progression for Graduates 2005 survey of 96 employers from the Incomes Data Services (IDS), over a third (37.4%) of students who did a sandwich placement went on to accept a position with the employer they did their placement with. The equivalent figure for those who did vacation work was even higher at 47%. A further pointer to the advantage of work experience in gaining a graduate position has been revealed through research of some 66 graduate employers by the University of Manchester and UMIST Careers Service in 2004. Their research shows that an average of 70% of work experience summer or year long placements lead to a graduate job offer.

Research evidence suggests that this is certainly not true. According to the Seven Years On report, the value of having a degree is still considerable despite the ever growing numbers entering higher education each year. Although the duration of income rise after graduation is different for each gender, the growth in earnings is still apparent after 15 years for men and 10 years for women. The skills and knowledge gained at university coupled with age and experience is a real asset for career progression and associated earning power.

The report goes on to map out differences in the hourly rate of earnings by age, gender and qualification. The differences in rates between degree holders and those with A-levels only become more significant particularly as individuals reach their early thirties. However a growing gender gap is exposed as male graduates of 1995 were earning 18.5% more than their female counterparts when surveyed in 2002/2003. Differences in hours worked and employers’ sectors are cited as possible reasons for this trend.

Working hard to achieve the highest classification of degree and continuing education beyond this level is often appreciated by graduate recruiters. According to a survey of 226 large employers from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), some 3% of recruiters would pay education premiums for a first class degree, with the median amount being £500. Additionally, 6% of employers reported that they would pay a premium to their new postgraduate recruits, with the median amounts being £1,000 for a Masters and £2,000 for a PhD.

The widening participation agenda, which encourages people from different backgrounds to enter higher education, provides both challenges and opportunities. Graduate recruiters have, over recent years, responded to the need to reflect in their workforce the diverse make-up of their clients and customers. Also in pure career terms, particular professions, sectors and organisations are under-represented by certain groups within the society. Positive action, events, recruitment processes, and employment programmes are emerging to enable all individuals to take advantage of this diversity culture.

However, it remains to be seen how the widening participation agenda within higher education translates into a diverse and better representative labour market in years to come. The Ready, Willing and Disabled survey produced by Scope reveals that ‘disabled people made an average of two and half times as many job applications as non-disabled people and yet got fewer job offers’. Other studies also expose difficulties faced by working class graduates and older graduates entering the labour market. The good news is that legislation outlawing age discrimination in employment and vocational training will take effect from 1 October 2006. Employers who do not seek or accept an age diverse workforce will, therefore, not only miss out on valuable talents, but are also liable to be prosecuted.

High academic achievement, developing employability skills and gaining commercial awareness, will prove to be a huge asset in future job applications and contribute to an impressive CV. Looking beyond financial considerations, the process of obtaining a degree and taking part in the whole university experience is often life-changing – a time when knowledge, skills and personality are developed and values, passions and networks are established.

According to the Student Experience Report 2005 from UNITE, 95% of the over 1,000 students surveyed reported going to university is a worthwhile experience. Obtaining a good degree along with some work experience, ideally related to your career, or better still a summer or year placement with your intended employer, will be of great benefit to your graduate job search and probably financially lucrative too!

Graduate Prospects publications

Graduate Prospects and AGCAS publications should be available in your university careers service. You can also order publications from us.

• Prospects Directory 2004/5, Graduate Prospects.
• Seven Years On: Graduate Careers in a Changing Labour Market, Peter Elias (Warwick Institute for Employment Research) and Kate Purcell (Employment Studies Research Unit, University of the West of England), June 2004. The study is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Higher Education Careers Services Unit.

• Volunteering England –England’s volunteer development agency.
• YouthNet – for local volunteering opportunities.
• WorldWide Volunteering (WWV) – for international volunteering opportunities.