Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR)

AGR is the voice of graduate recruiters. Established nearly 40 years ago, it now exerts a powerful influence in graduate recruitment from recruiter strategies through to government legislation. Its surveys and research are the most authoritative in the graduate recruitment market.

When a small number of graduate recruiters kept bumping each other at university milk round events in the late 1960's, they thought it might be quite a good idea to meet occasionally to share experiences and ideas. Little could they have realised what they were starting.

Today, AGR, the Association of Graduate Recruiters, boasts a membership of around 800 businesses and while the original networking and sharing ideal is still central to AGR's mission, a much wider range of services are on offer to members.

AGR's mission is to help businesses manage the recruitment and development of graduates more effectively. They do this in a variety of ways;

• Benchmarking: In January and July each year they publish their Graduate Recruitment Survey detailing market trends across regions and sectors. This data helps businesses to benchmark their own targets and salary levels with others competing in the same talent pool. The survey also provides insights into retention rates, recruitment cycles, selection practices, benefits packages and work experience opportunities. They also host the results of the AGR graduate recruitment awards programme which celebrates best practice in recruitment literature, websites, innovation and integrated marketing campaigns on an annual basis.
• In depth research: Major projects have been commissioned to look at best practice in graduate development and retention; measuring the value that graduates and graduate programmes bring; the skills that graduates need in the 21st century; how students can improve their 'employability' while at university and a national media audit that identifies the titles and channels that recruiters themselves recommend.
• AGR Live and the AGR Standard: Master classes, foundation courses, skills and expertise workshops in aspects of graduate recruitment such as marketing and attraction, screening, assessment techniques. These have been pulled together to form a competency framework for practitioners in the field who can work towards the AGR Standard in Graduate Recruitment.
• Networking opportunities: Invaluable opportunities to meet with others doing similar jobs through hot topic sessions, the annual conference which attracts more than 500 people, sector focus groups in areas such as Information technology, Finance, Law and Engineering. 
• Information and news: Change is the name of the game in graduate recruitment and through their Graduate Recruiter magazine, briefing papers, weekly e-bulletins, the website which includes a 'members only' section they keep our members up-to-date with all that is happening.
• Advice: A telephone helpline to assist members with any graduate recruitment enquiries, plus a free consultations for all new members with the chief executive.

AGR is run by the members for the members. All the services listed above have been developed because the members have requested them and often, members have been involved in the development work.

With increasing public attention being paid to the expansion of higher education and its outputs, AGR has been actively involved in representing our members' best interests with the Government and higher education. A collective voice is invariably more effective than a host of individual messengers.

Whether you recruit five or five hundred graduates a year, there is much to be gained from being part of this not-for-profit association. We believe that recruiting graduates can bring immense benefits to businesses in both public and privates sectors but to get the most out of your graduate recruitment intake, you have to get it right. AGR is there to help ensure that you get the best returns on your investment.

If you want to know more about what AGR does and how it can help you, visit their website here: http://www.agr.org.uk/