What are the biggest challenges recruiting graduates?

Graduate recruitment is not as easy as going to a Careers Fair and offering the best person a job. The graduate marketplace is extremely competitive, diverse, nuanced and fragmented which is why many recruiters invest time and money (or use a trusted partner) when it comes to attracting the best graduate talent. The process needn't be overcomplicated either but we feel it is important for recruiters to fully understand the marketplace in order to create a winning strategy. The AGR have surveyed their members and found the following are the top challenges they face which may help you prepare your recruitment plan.

- Achieving diversity targets (such as gender, ethnic background) 69%
- Improving students’ perceptions of the organisation 63%
- Increasing the quality of graduates recruited 54%
- Stepping up the organisation’s profile on campus 42%
- Attracting more applications for specific graduate vacancies 40%
- Limited graduate recruitment marketing budget 38%
- Achieving social mobility targets 32%
- Increasing the quality of students recruited for work placements 30%
- Not enough resources in the graduate recruitment team 27%
- Attracting more applications for work placements or internships 27%
- Increased competition from other employers 25%
- Reducing the number of applications for graduate vacancies 15%
- Lack of students graduating from specific degrees 11%
- Attracting more applications for all graduate vacancies 10%
- Insufficient support for graduate recruitment from senior management 6%
- Insufficient support for graduate recruitment from rest of organisation 6%

“I will only hire someone to work directly for me if I would work for that person."
- Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook