Expert: Graduates need extracurricular endorsements

In the ultra-competitive graduate jobs market, students need to ensure that they make the most of any activities they can to make themselves stand out from the crowd, according to an expert.

Martin Pennington, director of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, said that extracurricular activities are important for graduates who want to stand out and capture their dream sales job.

"These are not just things that you do if you fancy it or if you've got the time, but things that are highly regarded – to the extent that they are going to be included on degree reports and therefore form part of your offer to any potential employer," he stated.

The type of thing that graduates can get involved with in their own time includes volunteering or working for the students' union or being a student ambassador, according to Mr Pennington.

Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency showed that the graduate recruitment market is becoming more competitive with 59 per cent of university leavers finding employment in 2008/09, compared to 62 per cent in 2007/08.

Aaron Wallis is a specialist marketing and sales recruitment agency that offers graduate sales jobs across a wide range of industry sectors. For employers, Aaron Wallis offers a unique graduate recruitment service that is backed by a 12 month rebate period.

Posted by Nikki Barrister

Filed: 02-07-2010