Graduate recruitment rates are predicted to slump in 2020 because jobs are either too senior or too low-skilled for graduates.
Competing in the graduate job market is difficult at the best of times, but recent reports from The Institute of Student Employers' (ISE) Pulse Survey suggest that in 2020, the fight for entry-level graduate roles is going to get even tougher.
The ISE Pulse Survey for 2020 has revealed that employers are planning to recruit just 2.7% more new school-leavers and graduates this year, compared to the 18% increase that was predicted this time last year. It's also possible that this statistic is an over estimation, given that employers tend to recruit less people across the year than they initially predict. If the survey proves accurate, 2020 will mark the worst growth rate for graduate jobs since 2016.
The main problem contributing to this dip in graduate recruitment comes down to the jobs on offer. The jobs created in the UK over the past decade are either too senior for school leavers and university graduates, and are therefore given to older, more experienced workers, or too low-skilled: of the 3.4 million jobs created, 2.4 million were classified as professional or senior jobs, 500,000 as low-skilled and only 400,000 as skilled or semi-skilled.
Stephen Isherwood, the ISE'S chief executive, also points out the role of the government in this recruitment slump. "The graduate jobs market is an early indicator of the health of the economy, employers are hesitant to increase investment in new staff," he says. "The government needs to get the economy moving otherwise this year we'll be in for a stagnant labour market at best."
For graduates, this means competing with peers for even fewer positions and can be a worrying prospect. But all is not lost - there are jobs on offer, you just have to know where to look...
With over 150 student and graduate jobs on our website, including a range of entry-level roles that don't require heaps of experience, we've got plenty on offer if you're on the hunt for work. Sign up right here.