Caitlin told herself she'd apply to two jobs a day, but she was immediately rejected by 150 employers and never heard back from 271 other companies. The feedback was absent, and it left her wondering what the point of her four-year degree in university had been. "I spent so much time with my applications … I just really wondered what disqualified my application from feedback?" she said.
AI Scoring and Graduate Job Strain
Caitlin suspects her older CVs didn't work when put through an applicant tracking system (ATS), which many companies use to screen applicants. After she tailored her résumé for AI screening tools, she started getting responses and ended up going through the assessment process for 221 applications, five of which led to final interviews.
Figures from the Institute of Student Employment show how tough the job market is, with 1.2 million applications for just 17,000 graduate positions last year. There were 140 graduates applying for each job, on average, and in finance roles like Caitlin's, it was closer to 188 applications per job.
A Job Offer at Last
Caitlin, of Tintern, Monmouthshire, will be moving to London to start her job as a trainee accountant in September. "It was what I needed," she said, but wished she had had it earlier.
As she prepares to start her career, other new graduates including Bangor University graduate Hoew Williams will go back to education or do some short-term work while Alaw Simpson hopes to get her first professional job while living in Anglesey. Recruitment specialists said it was crucial for CVs to be tailored, and for the correct attitudes to be presented, and candidates should be prepared for tech-based tests during the application process.
Amid the tough jobs market, Universities Wales says demand for graduates is forecast to rise and a degree continues to bring long-term benefits to earnings and character.
