What roles are graduates looking for in 2019?

With the Spring term now in full flow, the attention of many final year students is naturally turning towards exam season and graduation.

It’s fair to say career expectations vary for those about to embark on their first career path. Competition for top graduate jobs is also tougher than ever. There are currently an average of 41 applications for every entry-level role, which certainly gives an edge to students with additional work experience or network connections.

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As for the most popular career sectors, a national study led by graduate jobs specialist Milkround found that 11% of graduates are actively looking for roles within the media and publishing industry. Other popular career paths include science and research (ten per cent), medical and pharmaceutical (ten per cent), education (nine per cent) and marketing (eight per cent).

But what do employers expect to see from young applicants? Degree classification is the most common minimum requirement, with over half (58%) of businesses setting this as a prerequisite on job applications. That said, 19% of employers choose not to list any minimum grade or qualification requirements, opening up the field to a much more diverse talent pool and giving more people the chance to prove their qualities at the interview stage.