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When you leave university there are typically two types of job opportunity which are suitable for you as a Geography graduate: the graduate scheme and graduate level role. Another type of job opportunity is a lower skilled non-graduate level role. This type of role doesn’t utilise the level of skill that you will have developed through taking your degree, and so most individuals don't aim for this type of job. However, you would typically be expected to start in a non-graduate level role in areas such as journalism or the charity sector, where graduates are often required to start at the very bottom and work their way up.
What is a graduate scheme?
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A structured programme that combines working and training, aimed at recent graduates.
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Offered mainly by large employers and can last for a period from three months to three years. Successful completion normally leads to a permanent position and often a professional qualification.
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In some sectors, such as finance, retail management and surveying, in large companies at least, graduate schemes are commonplace. Other sectors, such as the charity, journalism and NGO fields run very few graduate schemes.
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Application deadlines are often from September to December, almost a year before the start date.
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Graduate schemes are competitive and only 12-15% of students get a place on a graduate scheme. They tend to have a longer and more formal recruitment process than other application processes. Applicants can expect to complete multiple rounds of interviews, psychometric tests and assessment days.
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Salaries tend to be relatively high for graduate roles.
What is a graduate vacancy/entry level vacancy?
- A position suitable for graduates – such as wastewater technician, research analyst, trainee community education officer, etc.
- These can be found in large companies in sectors where the graduate scheme isn’t common, and also in small and medium sized organizations (known as SMEs).
- SMEs tend to only recruit graduates in entry-level roles, rather than running graduate schemes. Although SMEs are organisations that employ fewer than 250 staff, they make up 99.9% of all enterprises in the UK, making them great places to find graduate opportunities.
- Roughly 85% of all graduates will get their first job in an SME, working in an entry level role. The selection process usually takes two months or less and vacancies become available throughout the year.