Frequently Asked Questions

Several forces have converged to make this one of the hardest markets for graduates in a decade. The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers report noted the country's best-known employers hired 22 per cent fewer graduates than they originally planned to in 2024. Research from the same report has also shown that new graduates from the ‘Class of 2025’ worked harder than any of the previous cohorts of university-leavers to secure their first graduate job.

Economic uncertainty and rising employment costs have made large employers more cautious about hiring, while AI is increasingly automating the entry-level tasks that once gave graduates a way into organisations. At the same time, the number of graduates entering the market each year continues to grow, widening the gap between supply and demand.

Traditional applications rarely show the full picture. The Graduate Directory gives you a rich, searchable profile that goes beyond your CV, showcasing your academic background, hard and soft skills, languages, and professional ambitions. Employers can find you and assess fit before the formal process even begins.

Not completely, but using it carelessly can work against you.

Employers have attributed the sharp rise in application volumes partly to candidates using AI to produce CVs and cover letters more quickly, which means generic, AI-written applications are increasingly easy for recruiters to spot and discount.

The goal is to use AI as a tool to sharpen and structure your thinking, not to replace it entirely. What employers are looking for is evidence of genuine judgment, curiosity, and personality — none of which a templated AI response can convincingly provide.

The Graduate Directory connects high-calibre graduates directly with leading UK employers across finance, consulting, technology, and professional services. The Directory gives you visibility with the hiring teams that matter, without the noise of mass job boards.