On average graduates apply for 12 roles before landing their first job, according to a survey commissioned by LinkedIn.
The poll of 2,000 UK students and graduates also found that a quarter of applicants don’t receive any feedback when unsuccessful – making it difficult to find ways to improve.
The Students Have Your Say Survey, commissioned by the professional networking site, found that graduates don’t believe they are ready to make the leap from education to employment.
Almost two thirds of students (65%) don’t feel ready for work and more than half (52%) feel that university hasn’t taught them the skills required to find a job.
However, LinkedIn’s HE specialist, Charles Hardy, said: “We are already working closely with schools and universities, helping to educate students on the tools available to them to help with career mapping and job hunting”.
The latest research backs up previous findings from TotalJobs.com claiming that four in 10 graduates are still job hunting six months after graduating and a quarter remain unemployed after a year.
Despite the time it takes for graduates to land a suitable role, the various bodies of research do suggest that they are trying to find work.
A third of job-seeking graduates send off at least one application every single business day and the majority are happy to travel up to 35 miles to attend an interview.
Mike Fetters, director of TotalJobs.com said: “Graduates need to prepare themselves for the fact that it may take them a few months longer than they thought to find the job they want. Though the job hunting process can be long, graduate jobs are incredibly rewarding.”
The path to finding a job for graduates could be made easier by tailoring applications to each individual role they apply for. Equally, an online presence could significantly boost chances of success.
Professional networking site LinkedIn provides users with the opportunity to display their qualifications, work experience and portfolio to employers – something that 40% believed was just as important as having a CV.
