Catch 22 -
The Work Experience Problem

The graduate jobs market is an ever-changing beast. Just a couple of decades ago, graduates could expect to walk out of university, degree in tow, and straight into a relevant role. But we live in an ever-more competitive world, and it looks like your degree alone simply won’t cut it in 2016.

Research has told us that recruiters today want to know you can do the job before you apply- they want to see relevant work experience.

What recruiters are saying

"Work experience is now the critical factor in graduate recruitment."

47% of HR professionals look at the work experience section first

When we spoke to HR decision-makers in the UK, 77% told us relevant work experience was among the most important factors of a candidate’s application. To put that into some context- only 40% felt the level of degree achieved mattered, and only 7% felt strongly about where it came from; despite the fact these are the factors students fret about most. There’s no denying work experience is now the critical factor in graduate recruitment. When taking an initial glance, 47% of HR professionals told us work experience is the first thing they’ll look for on any CV. And when they do, they like to see relevance. When we asked recruiters for some advice, a whopping 80% came back with the word ‘experience’ in their response.

What is the situation?

"Recruiters are doubting whether a degree alone is proof enough of a great employee."

32% of positiojs are reserced for graduates with previous work experience at the organisation

The trends on the ground do indeed suggest that work experience is becoming the new normal. While there are record numbers of graduate jobs available, an Office for National Statistics Survey suggests more and more recent graduates are failing to bag these jobs, with 47% ending up in a non-graduate role in 2013. So what’s going wrong?

With student numbers still rising, recruiters are doubting whether a degree alone is proof enough of a great employee. The High Fliers Annual Review of the Graduate Jobs Market makes some startling realisations. Within the top 100 biggest recruiters of graduates, 32% of positions are being reserved for graduates with previous experience specifically at that organisation. And while they’re offering 14,000 places among them, that’s still fewer than one place per 30 students. Yet half of them warned that graduates with no relevant work experience with them stand little or no chance.

Is it fair?

"Many companies are only offering unpaid internships, which the vast majority of students cannot afford to do."

57% of students are working to support their studies

With some 400,000+ leaving British universities each year, you have to question whether it’s feasible for everyone to be entering the market with experience under their belt. It isn’t.

An NUS survey claims 57% of students today are working to support their studies, with most saying they were using the additional income on accommodation, bills and food. With so many having to juggle part-time work and study- most just don’t have the time to pick up relevant industry experience. Many companies are only offering unpaid internships, which the vast majority of students cannot afford to do.

Fortunately, while demand for evidence of work experience has grown, so have the options for obtaining it. Studies show that recruiters are opening their doors; just much earlier.

What can I do?

"There is still more to bagging a graduate job than work experience."

being thorough and doing your research pays off

Three out of four top employers now provide paid vacation internships for penultimate year students, while over a quarter have begun to offer these for first year students, and the numbers are growing. Be proactive from the get-go and try and find a place on one of these.

Research also suggest students themselves may be partly to blame. A study by Magnet.Me discovered that students, on average, were aware of only 27% of the opportunities available to them. Being thorough and doing your research pays off. Smaller organisations tend to get overlooked, despite the fact they’re often more willing to compromise on experience. In our survey of HR professionals at top companies, several urged students not to ‘follow the flock’ to big organisations.

top skiils recruiters are looking for

And despite all of this, there is still more to bagging a graduate job than work experience; skills. When we asked, 59% of recruiters listed communication as a skill they look for evidence of, while 48% felt proof of problem solving was important. Leadership and initiative also came up time and time again. It’s time to think- can I prove I have these skills? If not, what can I do to change that? Is there a skill I really need to work on?

0% of recruiters considered travelling important

Plan ahead at uni. Weaker communicators could join a debating society. Demonstrate leadership by taking on responsibilities as a student ambassador or representative. Taking action and seizing opportunities in this way will give you the edge without a work placement. Oh and don’t think the fact you’ve been traveling gives you the edge; in our study, 0% of recruiters considered it important.

Fortunately, there are still roles out there where work experience isn’t the be all and end all. In particular, recruiters looking to fill sales roles tend to consider core competencies rather than experience. Graduates may not leave university with work experience, but they do always leave with a skill set, and this can be identified through an assessment process before hiring. To many employers, making sure your new hire has the desired skill set is still more important than focusing on experience, which so many graduates don’t have yet.

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