Desperate university graduates are likely to cause HR professionals headaches over the year ahead by applying for as many jobs as possible, formally accepting multiple formal offers and making their final decision at the last minute.
These are the findings of an online poll undertaken among more than 300 recent graduates and current undergraduates by recruitment outsourcer, Alexander Mann Solutions.
The report entitled 'The Emerging Talent Index' indicated that just under two thirds of graduates planned to hedge their bets by accepting more than one job offer over the coming months. This situation would see them either picking their preferred option close to the official joining date or accepting an offer from one company and continuing to look for others elsewhere.
Clodagh Bannigan, head of client services at the outsourcer, said that such behaviour indicated a lack of confidence in today's graduate marketplace.
"This is perhaps understandable in the economic climate, but it represents a real challenge to employers. Organisations must factor in this kind of behaviour and ensure their strategy will not be adversely affected by applications dropping out late in the day," she added.
The survey indicated that 53% of those that left university in 2009 intended to apply for graduate-level positions over the coming year compared with 63% of current undergraduates, which indicates that competition is likely to heat up.
Such competition has been intensified by the fact that less than a quarter of people who left university last year have found a role that requires a degree – and a mere 22% are confident that they will do so this year.
As a result, about one in five said that they would be prepared to apply for 'any job' that came along, while 59% said they would go after positions across a number of sectors. Only just over a third confirmed that they would limit their sights to jobs that tie in with their long-term career goals.
The sector that was believed to offer the best opportunities to university leavers, meanwhile, was the public sector (30%), while financial services and banking fared worst (28%).
Bannigan said that the finding reflected the damage done to employer reputations in the latter category as a result of the recent economic crisis. "Businesses in this sector will be able to repair their brands over time, but it should be a great concern to organisations that have traditionally been very attractive to university leavers and steps should be taken immediately to restore their standing," she added.
