CEOs confident over headcount in boost to graduates

Graduates hoping to find employment at a big firm have been handed a boost by the news that nearly half of chief executives (CEOs) who took part in a recent survey are confident of increasing their headcount in 2010.


The poll, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, showed that 42 per cent of UK CEOs plan on increasing their headcount over the next year as part of a growing investment in staff.
 
Said survey, revaled at Davos, suggests that CEOs are trying to find ways in getting the best staff and increasing employee retention, something that could suit the brightest and best graduates.

Michael Rendell, partner and leader of human resource services at PwC, said: "We are all well-versed in the assertion that the deep cost-cutting and headcount reduction many companies felt forced to undertake during the recession could impact speed of recovery and competitiveness so it's encouraging that CEOs are now prioritising the people agenda."
  

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Record rush for graduate jobs for university leavers

It was interesting to read in the The Times that competition for graduate jobs is increasing as the record number of university undergraduates start to think about applying for graduate positions in 2010. 

This year there has been an unpreciendented number of applications and 2010 looks like it will be again a highly competitive year for graduates leaving univesity.

Many of the traditional graduate schemes are full which means that graduates who traditionally appliy for these schemes will need to cast their nets wider.

Graduate jobs in sales are especially attractive to the top graduates due to the potential earning salary that can be generated, our graduates can up to and over £35,000 in the first year with most earning around £30,000.

With there being so many graduate sales jobs available we expect the applications at Pareto to be very high this summer.

AGR graduate recruitment survey findings welcomed by David Lammy, Higher Education Minister

David Lammy, the higher education minister, has reacted to the results of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) graduate recruitment survey by emphasising the wide range of options available to recent university leavers.


The AGR's bi-annual report actually showed that there had been an 8.9 per cent reduction in the amount of available graduate vacancies, but this figure was considered a positive one because it was initially forecasted to be closer to 24.9 per cent.

University leavers' average expected starting salary froze at £25,000 for the second year in a row - an AGR survey first - in evidence that the recession has not had too much of a negative impact on the sector.

Mr Lammy said: "Employment rates for graduates continue to be higher than for those with lower qualifications. This research shows that there are areas of growth in the jobs market.

Graduate recruitment hopes remain high survey finds

I was interested in the recent survye showing a quarter of university leavers are confident that they will find a graduate job this year despite an increase in competition in all sectors.


More than half of last year's graduates are considering applying for jobs that require a degree this year and will be in direct competition with the two-thirds of 2010 graduates also applying, figures collected by recruitment firm Alexander Mann Solutions showed.

Spirits remain high among graduates with some 26 per cent claiming they felt positive they would find a position this year.

A similar figure (24 per cent) of 2009 graduates said they were currently - or had previously - been working in a degree-level capacity since leaving university.

Clodagh Bannigan, head of client services at the firm, said: "Businesses looking to hire graduates need to ensure that they have the processes and scalability in place to deal with the high volume of applications, without compromising on the human touch that is essential when looking to attract the best young talent.