Successful Graduate Job Hunting
person or online, where you can meet people who’re doing specific jobs, ask them questions and learn about their experiences. It could be a panel discussion or an alumni networking event. Most large employers also run their own programme of recruitment presentations, skills training workshops and online events, which can be a very valuable way to talk directly to recruiters, recent graduates and interns.
students that they’ve spoken to at careers fairs and have made a good impression. It’s worth reading- up about employers beforehand so that you have some really well-informed questions that you can ask. And if you meet recruiters, managers or other employees at careers fairs, you can follow-up politely and professionally with them on LinkedIn. Your university will also be organising lots of smaller networking events, which could be in-
‘Class of 2026’s Priorities for First Graduate Job
Having a good social life through work
47%
Having a job that allows you to ‘give something back’ to society Being challenged & stretched on a day-to-day basis
39%
38%
Not working evenings or weekends
37%
Being based in an of!ce or on-site, rather than at home Having genuine responsibility from day one Early opportunity to work with clients or customers Being on a structured training & development programme
36%
34%
32%
31%
Using the degree subject you studied
31%
Opportunity for rapid promotion
29%
Working with senior managers and executives Working towards a professional quali!cation
28%
27%
Doing a series of placements in different parts of an organisation
26%
Being able to work from home some of the time
24%
Joining part of organisation you want to work in straightaway
22%
Responsibility for managing other people
18%
30
20
40
50
0
10
Percentage of new graduates who described aspect of first graduate job as ‘very important’
Source High Fliers Research 15,557 final year students leaving UK universities in the summer of 2026 were asked how important di"erent aspects of their first graduate job after university were, during interviews for The UK Graduate Careers Survey 2026
TOP 100 GRADUATE EMPLOYERS 39
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