An overview of Graduate Recruitment and Selection in the UK

1. An overview of Graduate Recruitment and Selection in the UK Carl Gilleard Chief Executive, AGR

2. A brief introduction to AGR • 720 member organisations • Average number of vacancies – 26 • Total graduate level vacancies in 2006 – 25,000 plus • www.agr.org.uk

3. Member organisations include:

4. Agenda: • Marketing and Attraction • Selection and Assessment • Development and Retention • The Business Case

5. Graduate employment has been affected by; • A massive expansion of HE • Changing expectations of students and graduates • Structural changes in work – knowledge based economy • The end of a ‘job for life’ and traditional career paths • Globalisation • A buoyant economy

6. Marketing & Attraction Challenges – the backcloth • Graduate vacancies

7. Marketing & Attraction Challenges • Researching the market • - Fewer than half of finalists actively look for careers • - Hidden Graduate Pool • - Discriminatory practices • - Connecting with the ‘connected’ generation • Keeping costs down • - Integrated marketing campaigns • - Targeted marketing • - Use of the Internet

8. Marketing & Attraction Challenges • Alternative strategies • - Internships • - Work experience/internships • - 16/18 year old recruitment • The importance of brand and reputation • - Employer vs. product brand • - CSR and the environment • - Personal growth and career development • - Early responsibility • What about salaries?

9. Graduate Salaries

10. Selection and Assessment Challenges • Application processes (AGR surveys) • - Average of 26 applications per vacancy • - 9% receive in excess of 100 applications per vacancy • - 65% only accept online applications • - 2% only accept paper application forms

11. Selection & Assessment Challenges • Entry requirements

12. Selection & Assessment Challenges • Selection methods

13. Selection and Assessment Challenges • Issues • - Linking selection to attraction • - Screening tools – UCAS tariff and 2:1s • - Embracing diversity • - Self-deselection • - Online testing • - International recruitment • - Shortfall

14. Selection & Assessment Challenges (cont.) • Shortfall: • - Last year 5% of vacancies were left unfilled • - Reasons – skill shortages, last minute vacancies, unattractive jobs, mobility • Bridging the gap • - Accentuate the positive • - Build brand and reputation • - Build relationships • - Local people for local jobs • - Alternative routes to market • - Hidden graduate pool

15. Development and Retention • Retention rates • - Graduates recruited one year ago – 91% • - Graduates recruited three years ago – 75% • - Graduates recruited five years ago – 60% • Half of employers are happy with their retention rates. • One in five are not!

16. Development and Retention Challenges • Issues • - Link retention to attraction and selection • - Tell it how it is! • - Love them or lose them • - Graduates work to live rather than live to work • - Support beyond the development programme

17. Why recruit graduates? The business case • Adding Value Beyond Measure – the Business Case • for Graduate Recruitment Programmes • Dr Anthony Hesketh • Graduates are able to: • Innovate and cope with change • Develop faster and add value more quickly • Articulate ideas into the cut and thrust of business life • Act as catalysts for change – don’t just accommodate it • Think positively and overcome the ‘that’s too difficult’ attitude

18. Coming soon • Review of UK degree classification system • The Millenial generation • Demographic shifts • Less mobility among UK graduates • Increased levels of graduate debt

19. Questions