It Continues to be Tough for Graduates to Find a Job
It Continues to be Tough for Graduates to Find a Job
Article by Alison Withers
Copyright (c) 2011 Alison Withers
New research in the area of graduate recruitment in the UK has revealed a worrying situation.
Figures derived from surveying 49,065 graduate responses indicate that Almost 28% of UK graduates who left university in 2007 were still not in full-time work three and a half years later. They are based on a snapshot survey taken on 29 November 2010.
Although these figures include about 21 % who were working part-time or studying and 3.5% who gave their response as “other” that still leaves 3.5% considered to be unemployed, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
The research also revealed a gender gap in the payment of men and women graduates, with 14% of men in full-time paid work who graduated in 2007 were earning between £30,000 and £34,999 three and a half years later in comparison with 9.3% of the women and 29.4% of females were earning £20,000 to £24,999, against 15.6% of men.
As worries about the pace of economic recovery in the UK and Europe continue with predictions of a slowdown or even a return to recession the figures are a graphic illustration of just how difficult life is for all job seekers.
The most recent monthly findings from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation also indicate a slowdown in recruitment during August 2011. While traditionally a less active period for recruitment because of the holiday period, the figures add to the worries about the economy.
They showed further moderate increases in permanent placements and temporary billings but that the growth of vacancies continued to ease. They also revealed that the rise in permanent salaries was at its weakest in 22 months and there had been the strongest rise in permanent candidate availability since January 2010.
This picture suggests that graduate job seekers may have to be willing to be innovative in getting the necessary experience that employers require even for someone newly entering the workplace.
Polishing grammar and spelling, for example, may make all the difference to whether a CV is accepted or rejected. Employers frequently identify inadequate literacy skills in the people who approach them for work.
Internships are often suggested as a way for graduates to gain experience and it is true that some of them do lead to offers of full-time employment. However, there is intense competition for places and often internships are unpaid. That means that graduates whose parents cannot afford to support them are at a distinct disadvantage.
It is also the case that smaller companies that are often seen as the engine for economic growth may not be able to offer internships, either because they cannot spare the staff time to do the job properly or because they cannot afford to pay even a small amount for an intern.
Graduates looking for a job may be advised to consider signing on with a recruitment agency that can advise them on any skill gaps they may have, or any weak areas that they can improve on, but also the agency may be able to find temp or short contract positions in secretarial and administrative roles that would at least allow a candidate to get a foot in the door.
The jobs market remains tough for new graduates, as well as for all job seekers, according to recent research. Joining a recruitment agency may help. By Ali Withers.
Question by : Does the ADA really, truly protect people with disabilities in a work environment?
Disabled employee gets hired. Employer cites reasons “other” than disability for firing the person. Reasonable accommodation is provided, but that only puts the disabled employee on an equal playing field with other employees, who can also get fired “at will”. So many job contracts involve an At Will situation – you’re signing that you can be fired for any reason. How much protection is that really?
Of course, performance is important on a job – but in an “at will” contract, an employer can fire you for any reason /after/ providing the reasonable accommodation.
Same with hiring. Employers are under no obligation to hire certain people. The disabled are at a disadvantage in this ageist, appearance-conscious society.
So I really don’t understand. In this “at will” work mileau, what protections under the ADA do the disabled really have?
Best answer:
Answer by JMITW
absolutely not, unless you have thousands of dollars to pay a lawyer–and even then it can be years to recover lost wages…
many jobs refuse to even allow reasonable accommodations–i know from experience..such as refusing exemption from traveling out of state to hear the company talk about how good it is to an employer and a casual dress work environment not allowing sneakers–even though there is no dress code-for a person with a foot deformity
EEOC ignores most complaints–and takes the employers word over the concrete evidence–obviously doesn’t even look at it.
you can’t be fire if the reason is disability discrimination
at will means you can be fired for any reason that is not illegal…such as the boss wants to hire his nephew or found someone that will work cheaper or just decides to eliminate the position.
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If the EEOC would actually enforce the law, there would be protection
an example, a burger king hired a person who was hard of hearing, but could do the job with hearing aids…he was fired by the owner who didn’t want customers seeing an employee with hearing aids…thats illegal
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