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Graduates are in the best position for more than a decade to land a top job, according to a poll of some of the biggest recruiters in the country.
The latest research by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) found that there has been an increase in both salaries and vacancies, with vacancies for graduate positions higher than any year since 1995.
Graduate vacancies have risen for the third year running, with the number of positions for graduates leaving university this summer up by 16.7 per cent on last year. Nearly 79 per cent of AGR members anticipate that they will be able to fill all vacancies for 2006 and more than half of the respondents expect recruitment levels to hold firm in 2007.
The AGR survey of 235 AGR member firms – including many of the UK’s largest graduate employers in both the public and private sectors – is considered an important barometer of the employment situation for the nation’s graduates.
Accountancy and professional services firms provided almost one quarter (22.5 per cent) of graduate vacancies in 2006, followed by investment banks or fund managers (18.6 per cent) and engineering (8.4 per cent).
Geographically, almost half (46 per cent) of graduate vacancies were in London, followed by the South East 11.6 per cent) and the Midlands (9.9 per cent).
The growth in vacancies has led to a slight reduction – about 15 per cent – in the number of applications per vacancy, with an average of 28 applications received by employers, compared to 33 last year. This should be good news for job applicants, with slightly less competition for positions.
Fast-moving consumer goods companies again received the most applications with an average of 93 applications per post, followed by the oil industry, which received 66 applications per vacancy.
Following concerns raised in the AGR Winter Survey released in February this year, the survey investigated in more depth the views of employers on the calibre of candidates. Only 15 per cent felt that the standard of applications had fallen since last year, with more than a quarter feeling that the quality was actually higher.
In terms of skills and qualities sought in graduates, commitment and drive, motivation and enthusiasm topped the list, closely followed by skills such as team working, communication, customer focus, problem solving, flexibility and adaptability. Graduate recruiters felt that computer literacy was the most prevalent skills area but that project management, enterprise, leadership and commercial awareness were the most difficult skill criteria to fill.
Graduate starting salaries also continue to rise in 2006 to a median on £23,136, compared with £22,000 last year. Despite a slight decrease in applications per vacancy, it seems employers are not willing to hike up salaries to attract more graduates.
The highest paying AGR employers in 2006 were investment banks or fund managers who paid a median starting salary of £36,000 followed by law firms, consulting or business services firms, and energy, water or utility companies.
Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said: ‘The results of our latest survey show the graduate market is continuing to grow, which is great news for the Class of 2006.
‘Organisations are still seeing the added value graduates can bring with vacancies rising significantly and salaries continuing to grow.’
He added: ‘However, graduate recruiters must not get complacent – a new generation of students with different needs and wants may require a different approach to recruitment and perhaps this slight fall in the number of applications per vacancy may be a warning to recruiters that they need to remain competitive.’

Key points
•    Graduate level vacancies rise by 16.7 per cent.
•    The biggest employers include accountancy and professional services firms providing nearly a quarter of graduate vacancies in 2006.
•    Nearly half of all vacancies are in London.
•    Median starting salaries climb to £23,136 – an increase of 2.9 per cent.
•    The highest paying employers were investment banks or fund managers who paid a median starting salary of £36,000 followed by law firms, consulting or business services firms.
•    Recruiters received an average of 28 applications per vacancy, down by 15 per cent.
•    Team working, oral communication, flexibility and adaptability, customer focus and problem solving are cited as the most desired skills by recruiters.
•    91 per cent of graduates recruited in 2005 are still with the same organisation.

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