Graduate Jobs And Avoiding Falling At The First Hurdle
However, some commentators are viewing graduate jobs as an opportunity for employers to seek cheaper labour. Whatever your view, these are uncertain times where you may need to tread carefully.
If you're looking for advice as to where to go for you first graduate jobs, well nowhere can be deemed 100% safe. In the last couple of weeks we have been witnessing banks with a 100+ years of history going to the wall and no one would ever have predicted that would happen. However, there are a number of things you can check before you leap to reduce the chances of ending up somewhere less rather than more secure.
Google any company offering graduate jobs. If they're ripe to buy, sell or restructure, you will likely get whispers of this in the news available on the internet. Also, visit the companies house website, for a very small sum you can access their filed accounts and this also may give you insight into any company that is struggling.
Try to track down and existing employee and pick their brains. Unlike the recruiting manager, a more neutral employee may give you a more honest appraisal of the company, what it is like to be there and what they think are it's future prospects. one way of achieving this without asking the recruiting manager is to approach some of their customers and ask then who they deal with and get contact details from here.
Track down someone who has done the graduate jobs you are considering. It's a fair request to ask the employer to put you in touch with someone who has been through their graduate scheme previously. If they don't want to do this, you would have to question why? What are they worried you may learn. If you do achieve this it will give you more confidence on that opportunity, or not as the case may be!
Ask if it is possible to go in and look around before interview, maybe shadow someone in the department to which you are applying.
In past years I would have advised people looking at graduate jobs to ensure they stick their first job for at least 18 months to avoid being viewed as someone who has not done well in the role. However, most employers are now more than aware that movement on Cvs is as much about failing companies as failing employees, so don't get too stressed if you end up somewhere that is in trouble, just start the process of looking over again.
I wouldn't rule out further education. In a market that is increasingly competitive for graduate jobs, an extra qualification may serve you well. Also, it will take you out of the graduate jobs loop at a time which is more uncertain than the UK has seen for decades, it will of course pass.
It's certainly a tough time to be looking at graduate jobs for the first time, but don't be put off, there are jobs out there. Do your homework to check out the prospective companies strength to ensure you don;t take something destined to end with a bump. Perhaps consider more education, it may give you an advantage when you return to the graduate jobs market.
