Graduate recruiter warns students of degree mountain that could lead to personal debt mountain

Opting for post-graduate education may cost graduates dearly if they are continuing their studies purely because they donít think there are enough jobs says a leading graduate recruiter.

The recent High-Flyers UK Graduate Career survey showed that two-thirds of those graduating from leading universities this summer believe that there are not enough suitable jobs for them, and one in four are planning to do postgraduate research. Sarah Evans, a senior consultant at Discovery Recruitment said: ëBut, many new graduates may not explore all the options available to them, often seeing very competitive formal graduate intake programmes with larger firms as the best option and anything else as simply not suitable. There are many routes to a successful career, with substantial organisations that, while not having large graduate intake programmes, offer personal development and support that can be much more tailored to the individual.í

The High Flyers survey also found that almost all the students polled had used their university careers services -which were rated excellent or good by three-quarters. But a recent gradplus.com survey showed that 68 per cent of graduates did not believe their university did enough to help them find a job or communicate their choices.

The recommendations in the recent Institute for Employment Studies and the Council for Industry and Higher Education report urged employers to form stronger and wider links with universities and careers advisers - but ëbecause there are so many students perceiving that there were not enough suitable jobs this should not only be taken on board but extended to include graduate recruitment companiesí said Sarah. This would give graduates greater access to careers they may not discover from conventional routes. ëUniversity careers advisers should also form stronger links with specialist graduate recruiters to make sure they have access to all the vacancies available. We have many great opportunities that people wonít be able to find through some universitiesí careers advisers or from employers direct. Discovering these may alter graduatesí perceptions of just how many suitable jobs there are and prevent some from continuing studying and getting into debt for the wrong reasons,í Sarah explained.

Discovery Graduate Recruitment recruits graduates into all industry sectors throughout the UK, and specialises in the areas of sales, engineering, food and graduate management schemes. The company offers an ongoing mentoring, support and sales training for graduates entering a career in professional selling.