Why it’s a good time to go for a job in a small company

Small and medium-sized companies are particularly interested in recruiting graduates at the moment, according to a recent report from university careers services. It seems that they are taking advantage of the tough jobs market to snap up talent that might, in a different economic climate, have been absorbed by the big blue-chip companies that traditionally take on large numbers of graduates.

According to the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), the trend is particularly noticeable with very small companies, which could be because these organisations have realised for the first time that graduates might be interested in working for them.

Getting a job with a small or medium-sized company (SME) could be great for your future career:

• You can develop skills in different areas and become an all-rounder rather than specialising in a particular aspect of business from the outset – and discover aptitudes you never knew you had.
• You can get involved in a relatively new enterprise at an early stage, giving you the opportunity to be part of a business that is growing, developing and establishing itself.
• There’s likely to be scope for you to play a key role in influencing change.

Other hot spots for graduates in a cold economic climate

That’s not the only positive graduate recruitment trend taking shape, as the AGCAS report, published at the beginning of November and drawing on its quarterly survey of vacancies and employer activity, makes clear:

• Big employers in all areas are continuing to recruit. This is because they are mindful of the need to keep developing new employees so that they do not suffer from a shortage of talent when conditions are more favourable for growth. In past recessions many employers cut back on graduate hiring, only to find themselves engaged in an expensive war for talent when times improved.
• Graduate vacancies in many high-tech areas of science, engineering and ICT are up, and many employers say there is a shortage of highly-skilled technical graduates.
• There has also been an increase in vacancies in retail, advertising, marketing and PR. This is good news for arts graduates, as most employers in these areas recruit candidates from any degree background. Graduates who are creative, commercially-minded and have strong communication skills will find their strengths are in demand.

However…

• Large companies are often taking on fewer graduates as permanent employees, and are making more use of temporary contracts and internships.
• Competition for vacancies is high, particularly as there is a backlog of graduates from the last couple of years all chasing the same opportunities.
• Public sector vacancies have continued to fall. Recruitment in the construction industry and the legal profession has also been affected by pressure on funding for the public sector.
• While employers are still maintaining a presence on campus, particularly at big graduate recruitment fairs, some are visiting fewer individual campuses. This means the onus is increasingly on students to be creative and use their initiative in seeking out opportunities.

What can you do to improve your chances?

Anne-Marie Martin, AGCAS president and director of The Careers Group at the University of London, commented, ‘It’s easy to get the impression that there are no jobs out there. On the contrary, there are lots, but admittedly competition for them is tough. Those who consciously improve their skills, accumulate work experience, proactively seek out “hidden” vacancies and make the most of the resources their careers service offers will have a definite edge.’

Source: Alison, Targetjobs.co.uk, Friday 4th November 2011