24/25 Graduate Recruitment Trends: What to Expect and How to Prepare
The following contribution is from an article by Testgrid, founded in 1999, Testgrid is a proudly Australian HR technology and assessment science company.
“We help you optimise selection, accelerate performance, achieve exceptional talent acquisition results, stand out and outperform your competitors; and achieve your goals. Working in consultative partnership with you, we combine responsiveness and reliability with technical expertise to enable you to make smarter, faster and fairer talent acquisition and development decisions.” Gerard Ward is their CEO.
If you’ve been involved in graduate recruitment over the past few years, you’ll know that the landscape is evolving at a pace that’s hard to keep up with. But the truth is that keeping up is no longer enough – we need to stay ahead of the curve.
Looking ahead to 2025, it’s clear that the way we attract, engage and hire graduate talent is changing. So what trends should we be preparing for? And how can we ensure our recruitment strategies not only attract the best talent, but also reflect the values and needs of today’s graduates?
Let’s delve deeper into the graduate recruitment trends that will shape the coming years.
- Remote and hybrid working is the new normal
Remember when remote working was considered a “nice to have” perk? Those days are long gone. Graduates entering the workforce today have grown up in a world where remote and hybrid work models are not only accepted, but expected.
According to a recent LinkedIn survey, 70% of Gen Z candidates expect to have the option to work remotely at least part-time. This trend is not just about the workplace, but also about how people work.
For employers, this means rethinking how company culture is built and maintained
How do you keep a remote team engaged and connected? How do you ensure new employees feel part of the team, even if they are not physically in the office?
These are the questions we need to ask ourselves as we adapt our hiring strategies to attract top talent.
- Values-based hiring
Today’s graduates are looking for more than just a paycheck – they want to work for organizations that align with their values.
In fact, a Deloitte study found that 77% of Gen Z candidates say a company’s values are a top consideration when choosing a job.
Environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are no longer optional—they’re non-negotiable.
To attract top talent, organizations need to be transparent about their values and demonstrate how they’re making a positive impact on the world. It’s not just about checking boxes—it’s about creating a workplace where people feel proud to work and can see the difference they’re making.
- The rise of skills-based recruitment
As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, the emphasis on traditional degrees and qualifications is beginning to decline. Instead, employers are shifting towards skills-based recruitment, where the focus is on what candidates can do, rather than where they studied or what qualifications they obtained.
This trend is particularly relevant to graduate recruitment, where candidates may not yet have extensive work experience.
By using skills assessments, employers can gain a more accurate picture of a candidate’s potential and identify those who have the capabilities to succeed in the role, regardless of their educational background.
According to a report by the World Economic Forum, 50% of all employees will need to be retrained by 2025 due to technological advances.
This means that the ability to learn and adapt quickly is becoming one of the most valuable skills a candidate can have. In the context of graduate recruitment, this makes skills-based recruitment more important than ever.
- Digitally-prioritised recruitment processes
The days of in-person interviews and paper CVs are rapidly disappearing. Today’s graduates are digital natives and expect a recruitment process that reflects this. From video interviews to automated candidate screening, digitally-prioritised recruitment processes are not only more efficient, but are also more appealing to tech-savvy candidates.
A PwC survey found that 78% of Gen Z candidates have used video interviews in their job search, with 65% saying they preferred them to traditional in-person interviews.
This trend is likely to continue as more companies invest in digital recruiting tools
that streamline the hiring process and create a better experience for candidates.
However, it’s important to remember that technology should enhance, not replace, the human element of recruiting. Candidates still want to feel a personal connection with potential employers, so finding the right balance between automation and human interaction is crucial.
- The Importance of Employer Branding
Employer branding has always been important, but in today’s job market, it’s absolutely critical. With so many options available for top talent, companies need to go the extra mile to stand out from the pack.
A strong employer brand can make all the difference when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent coming out of graduates.
According to a Glassdoor survey, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before even applying for a job. This means that your employer brand isn’t just about what you say in your job ads, but about the entire candidate experience, from the first point of contact to onboarding and beyond.
To build a strong employer brand, focus on authenticity and transparency. Showcase your company culture, highlight the benefits of working for your organization, and share stories from current employees about why they love working for you. Remember, your employer brand is your reputation, and it’s more important than ever.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a priority
DEI is no longer just a buzzword – it’s a business imperative. Today’s graduates are not only looking for diverse and inclusive workplaces, they are also holding companies accountable for their DEI efforts.
According to a McKinsey survey, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. Similarly, companies with a diverse workforce are better equipped to innovate, adapt to change and meet the needs of a diverse customer base.
For graduate recruitment, this means going beyond simply saying you’re committed to DEI – it means taking concrete actions to create a more inclusive workplace.
This could include implementing blind recruitment practices
Offering DEI training for employees and creating mentoring programs to support underrepresented groups. Looking ahead: preparing for the future of graduate recruitment
As we approach 2025, the graduate recruitment landscape will continue to evolve. The key to staying ahead of the curve is to remain agile and adaptable.
By embracing these emerging trends and rethinking traditional recruitment strategies, organisations can not only attract top talent, but also create a workplace that is ready for the future.
So what’s next for your organisation? Whether it’s taking a digital approach, investing in skills-based recruitment or strengthening your employer brand, now is the time to act. The future of work is already here and it’s full of opportunities for those ready to embrace change.
The trends shaping graduate recruitment
The following contribution is from Andrew Jack, who is the Financial Times’ global education editor, writes on education issues around the world and is the FT’s free schools editorial director.
First-time job seekers are advised to seek work experience and broaden their options as vacancies shrink
For graduates entering the job market this autumn, the labour market is tough. The technology sector, a major source of employment in recent years, is suffering a downturn. Other industries are holding back opportunities and salaries.
Job seekers are advised to consider a wide range of careers and find work experience as soon as possible to help them stand out.
These four trends are shaping graduate recruitment this year.
Tech
Unemployment in the US technology sector has risen, driven by layoffs at the largest companies. Staff turnover has fallen, potentially creating fewer opportunities, while new job openings increasingly demand higher qualifications, particularly four-year university degrees.
“It’s a softer hiring environment for recent graduates,” says Tim Herbert, research director at the Information Technology Industry Association. “Whenever there’s this kind of uncertainty, employers become risk-averse and employees are less likely to look for new jobs or retire.”
However, unemployment in tech is still below the general level across all sectors and there remains a basic demand for software developers and engineers in cloud computing and cyber security, for example, says Nimmi Patel, director of skills, talent and diversity at TechUK, the British trade body. “That need is not going away.”
Work experience
According to Matt Sigelman, president of The Burning Glass Institute, a research NGO that analysed data from the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, more and more recruiters are looking for candidates with previous work experience.
Their review of job postings found that the number of openings for applicants with a bachelor’s degree but no work experience had steadily declined over the past three years.
Such vacancies in business and finance operations, computing and maths, and management roles have halved since 2022 and in life and physical sciences they have fallen by a third. “It shows the importance of skills.”
Martin Birchall, managing director of High Fliers Research, a consultancy that surveys the top 100 Russell Group recruiters from leading UK universities, highlights the importance of internships and work experience. “Employers are now so overwhelmed with applications from graduates that they don’t look at academic achievements.”
Fall in UK vacancies
Jonathan Black, director of the careers service at Oxford University, reports a fall in graduate vacancies in the UK from 7,000 last year to 5,800 in 2024.
Birchall says competition for graduate jobs is at an all-time high. High Fliers research shows that investment banks and fund managers are paying some of the highest salaries for the fewest competitive roles on offer, but could reduce supply by 2025. Lidl, the retailer, is also paying well for a smaller pool of potential managers on its graduate programme.
However, High Fliers’ survey of recruiter sentiment
Suggests renewed hiring growth next year by the two largest sectors hiring graduates: accounting and professional services firms; and public sector employers.
The outlook looks healthier for MBA graduates from top business schools.
Data compiled by the Financial Times for its annual MBA rankings, which survey alumni three years after graduating, shows a steady rise in average earnings, especially since the pandemic.
Last year, those who chose to go into finance, including investment banking, private equity and insurance, fared better relative to other sectors, with average annual salaries above $88,000.
Employees in consulting, technology and manufacturing reported a smaller rise in wages. Wages fell for those working in the retail sector.
Chris Connors of Johnson Associates, a financial services compensation consultancy based in New York, says the rise in financial salaries in recent months reflects fierce competition for staff, with increases linked to high inflation and a rise in bonuses after two stable years.
The State of Young Professional Hiring Globally in 2024: Key Insights and Actionable Advice
The following contribution is from the Hire Vue portal, which is an HR consultancy that defines itself as follows: “We bring human value back to human resources
At HireVue, we know that hiring is a life-changing experience for many people, so we are committed to helping candidates and workplaces reach their full potential. We are marking a new era in hiring that offers unparalleled insight into skills and potential, so we can bring human value back to HR.”
General
Young professional talent is unique. These candidates are just beginning their job search and have a career with unlimited potential ahead of them.
But with macroeconomic factors hitting hard, “backward-looking” HR processes creaking at the seams, and the emergence of new technologies, the landscape is complex.
In a ground-breaking report, drawn from data from industry bodies including the Institute of Student Employers, the National Association of Universities and Employers and the Australian Graduate Employers Association, we analysed independent survey data from around the world and three clear trends stood out:
Skills assessment is becoming the dominant approach for early-career talent
Hiring teams are increasingly relying less on previous experience or qualifications
AI is growing as a tool used by students and recruiters in the hiring process
Let’s take a deeper look at each of these trends, enabling early career leaders to benchmark their progress, identify opportunities for improvement and learn some best practices from industry experts.
- Global graduate recruitment outlook
Early careers job market remains strong with traditional industries showing the most resilience
Application numbers per role continue to rise globally
Failure and termination rates remain a challenge for employers
Early careers roles are forecast to grow at a rate of 5% in 2023/24 in the UK. Despite a slowing labour market and economic uncertainty, graduate vacancies grew by 6% in 2022/23 in the UK, which was higher than forecast (2%) (ISE Student Recruitment Report 2023).
The 2024 US job outlook shows that overall hiring is projected to decline by 1.9%
However, it is important to note that this is down from the past two years when the university job market experienced rapid growth that, in 2022, reached record levels (NACE Job Outlook 2024).
Australian employers saw a 6% increase in the number of graduate positions in their programs in 2024 compared to 2023 (AAGE Employer Survey 2024) and demand for early career programs as a source of talent remains strong.
The Industrial/Occupational Psychologists Vue
The hiring landscape has changed for the foreseeable future. Market data from around the world demonstrates that labor shortages are the new normal and here to stay in the world’s major economies. Add to this the fact that baby boomers are aging and the skills needed to perform jobs are changing every year, driven largely by technology.
There will be approximately 100 million new jobs in the next 5 years and we don’t even know yet what they will look like.
All of this means that employers need to open the door and hire based on a candidate’s potential
to operate in a chang
