Graduates 'may face an uphill struggle'

Graduates attending trade and recruitment fairs this year are likely to be more nervous than most when looking for a company in which to work, as the combination of both the faltering economy and credit crunch leads to concerns that jobs will not last long.

According to the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) there will be at least as many positions to fill in 2009 as there were last year, which is at odds with the claim that graduate recruitment will suffer a one per cent drop next year.

However, Barbara Graham, director of Strathclyde University's careers, issued a reminder that there are reasons to think carefully about job selection: "I think everyone would acknowledge that the current economic climate is bound to have an effect on graduate recruitment - anyone looking at the facts would admit that.

"Of course it's going to be competitive, but the graduate recruitment shop has not closed," she added.

Certainly, graduate recruitment is in a trying time but with the worst reported projections being just a one per cent drop in recruitment, there is hope that the damage will be contained.

Those looking for the best jobs may wish to sign up to a graduate recruitment employment agency.

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