Going the extra mile for graduate employment

Autumn is now upon us and, if you are a final-year college student, that can only mean one thing. Employers across the country – and further afield – will be vying for your attention as you prepare to take your first tentative steps into the world of work.

With some time still left to go before thoughts of exams and dissertations take centre stage, you will have plenty of opportunities to visit graduate and careers fairs where you can get some insights into some of the companies you might consider working for in the future.

At the very least, you will also go home laden down with free pens, memory sticks and all sorts of other free paraphernalia! Another thing you will most likely go home with is an affirmation of sorts: that finishing college is a time of great opportunity.

A quick look at the business and news pages of The Irish Times will tell you that the economy is in a relatively good place. Employers are never far from the airwaves as they plead for more skilled workers and the last year has seen strong acceleration in jobs growth.

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There has been little sign of Brexit uncertainty having any adverse impact on hiring just yet, as both the public and private sectors continue to recruit strongly.

And it shows. Recruiters will spare no expense when it comes to creating attractive stalls at recruitment fairs and shiny websites boasting all sorts of functionality – all designed to draw the attention of the soon-to-be-graduate.

Of course, the crash of 2008 and 2009 might seem like a distant memory to many who graduate next year, but while the economy may have improved somewhat in the intervening years, the working world and all it brings is by no means always a bed of roses.

Accommodation crisis

That is especially true when you consider the current accommodation crisis and the uncertainty of Brexit and whatever economic fallout may follow a disorderly EU-departure by the UK.

In Graduate Options, we are here to help answer any questions you may have around entering the world of work.

There are big decisions for you to take and while much of your focus over the next eight or so months will rightly be taken up with preparation for your finals, deciding on what type of company you would like to work for will also be one of the most crucial decisions you make at this stage of your life.

Should you accept the first job you are offered, or should you wait and do a postgrad or masters? What kind of graduate recruitment schemes do the major companies offer? This magazine looks at what you can expect at the upcoming 2019 gradireland graduate careers fair and also features great tips on the recruitment process and more.

Graduate schemes represent a central pillar of the recruitment process for many firms. Don’t forget, they see it as an opportunity for themselves also: to attract the latest batch of the country’s brightest and best talent.

You have some decisions to make but that said, there is also an onus on the employer to demonstrate that they are the company for you. Making your way through the initial steps on your career path can be daunting but we’re here to help make sure you put your best foot forward and achieve your goals in the time ahead.