Work experience 'puts graduates ahead of the game'
13/01/2012 14:38
Work experience is a "vital" tool to help graduates get ahead of the pack when battling for job vacancies. This is according to graduate employment research body Milkround, which suggested that graduates should not underestimate the benefits that can be gained from doing unpaid work both during university and after they have left.
Mike Barnard, product manager at the organisation, said: "Now, it's more the case of getting the right work experience - whereas before you might have [just] been able to say you'd worked in an office, they're now looking for very specific skills for that business or the role you're going for."
He added that the large number of people leaving university in the past few years has given rise to the competition between those looking for a job and many sectors that were once relatively easy to access have become more difficult.
Employers are often looking for staff that have hands-on experience and can work effectively in a professional environment, Mr Barnard explained.
The expert suggested that those entering the jobs market with no relevant experience are "on the back foot" and may lose out to other people with more experience. He mentioned that employers want to see solid evidence and references that people have thought about their careers even before they graduated.
A new report from High Fliers Research, 36 per cent of graduate job vacancies will be filled by people who have undertaken work experience placement at the company that they are applying for.
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Posted by Sophie O'Meara
