Employ and Attract Graduates

Here at GJS we firmly believe that graduates can add exceptional value to any business. We can confirm this, from our own experience. Your business, like many other have, can benefit from recruiting new talent possessing energy, enthusiasm and fresh ideas. Sometimes it can be difficult to acquire these at a cost that is attainable.

What are the benefits of taking on a graduate?

Graduates have great enthusiasm and are highly motivated.
They acquire many skills whilst at university which they can apply in the workplace.
Graduates are enthusiastic learners and become productive at a faster pace.
They can effectively and efficiently adapt to new environments.
Graduates are the ideal target for career development and succession planning.
Graduates starting their first job arrive with no baggage. They have no pre-conceived ideas about what can and cannot be done.

Case Studies

The type of graduate you require

Think about your vacancy and decide what qualifications, skills and experience you would like your graduate to have.

If you require generalist graduates, GJS will allow you to target graduates by industry sector.
Create a specification of the ideal candidate. Will they need specific skills, such as languages, IT skills or a driving licence?
Requiring experience is often requested but not always realistic. Some graduates may have placement experience as part of their degree. Others may be able to demonstrate holiday and part-time work.

The offer and package

Competition is fierce to attract good graduates. You can make your vacancy more appealing in a number of ways:

Make a clearly understood job spec so that the graduate knows exactly what they will be doing.
Formal training is (although not essential) highly valued.
Offer a competitive salary. Graduate salaries typically start around £18k.

Be realistic about what you can offer, create a package that is an all-rounder - sometimes it’s not all about the money. Think about benefits that might not be of particular value to you that maybe highly valued to the graduate - gym membership for example, travel cards etc.

Attracting Candidates

The way you present your vacancy is critical to attracting interest.

Candidates look for:

A good starting salary. The average national starting salary for graduates is £18K, and the most common salary range for jobs advertised on GJS is £20-£25K
Training and development opportunities
Location

State all of these in your advert and outline any other working benefits such as; flexi-time, parking, sustainability, holiday entitlement etc.

Why don’t you make your vacancy stand out even more by taking up one or more of our Advertising and Sponsorship features?

Employing International Students and Graduates

More and more employers are realising the value of employing international students:

Specific skills and knowledge about different countries, languages and cultures that could help your business develop into new markets.
Help you understand and deal more effectively with overseas customers and suppliers.
Broaden the outlook of your workforce and help make your business more receptive to ideas.

At Southampton Solent University, University of Winchester,University of Chichester and the University of Southampton (and indeed at most of the UK Universities) there are a growing number of international students and graduates, from Europe and worldwide. Many of these look for work in the South area while they are studying, and also look to apply for graduate jobs when they finish university.

Where do I go for assistance about international student and graduate employment?

Your local university careers service, jobshop, Chamber of Commerce or business link service can provide assistance and support for employers seeking to recruit international students/graduates in the UK. For more information visit the Education UK website for links and case studies www.britishcouncil.org/eumd-pmi2-employability

The Home Office sponsorship and employers' helpline offers the following dedicated service for employers:

Contact: T 0300 123 4699