Graduates know they need to get their hands dirty this summer

ëGet your hands dirty in the real world of commerce, rather than wiping down bars or sitting on a beachí, a leading recruitment specialist has been saying to graduates who want to stand out from the crowd. And the message seems to be getting across. A new poll has shown that two-thirds of graduates believe that employers will be as interested in their work experience as they are in their exam results.



ëAll things being equal, a graduate whoís spent the lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer drifting between the dreaming spires wonít stand a chance against one whoís used their initiative and commuted daily to a place of work. Or one whoís shown some sort of entrepreneurial energy. If youíve not been swept up in the milk-round while you were a student, youíre going to have to pull out all the stops to get a good job once youíve got your degree,í said Jonathan Evans of Discovery Recruitment, commenting on the results of the new Grad Plus poll.

ëGraduates need to be seen to have something special about them ñ we have had several on our books who have started their own businesses, or set up internships for themselves in companies abroad, or at least sought out either temporary jobs or work experience in a specific professional field.í

Evans set up Discovery Days, where graduates looking for jobs are taken through assessment and evaluation procedures to see if they are suitable to become Discovery graduates. It involves group exercises and emphasis on personality, approach and ability to deal with challenges.

ëWe have become the agency of choice because our clients know that any of our graduates that apply to them for jobs have already been extensively assessed for their suitability, and trained and prepared,í explained Evans.