Are you a graduate looking for a great way to start your career? Here’s our top five tips on finding a good graduate recruitment programme.

1. Do your research

Graduate programmes with big named companies are often the first to come up on internet searches, but it is worth spending time looking further as an increasing number of small and medium sized companies are also offering similar positions. These schemes can be just as valuable and working in a smaller environment can provide the chance to gain more experience and responsibility.

2. Keep your options open

Some graduate training programmes don’t specify the nature of the degree required because many of the skills learnt at university are transferable. Looking at graduate training jobs, and the career progression opportunities they provide, can help you to narrow down areas of interest or show you a different route to your career goals which you may not have considered before. 

3. Clear development plans

A good graduate programme should clearly set out the progression opportunities provided, including any permanent job opportunities available at the end of the programme. Many will also provide the opportunity to study for further professional qualifications and include the chance to work on a variety of different projects and areas of the business.

4. Long term support

Even if you have plenty of work experience from part time roles and course placements, it’s not unusual to feel a little daunted by the prospect of going from being a full time student to a full time employee. A good graduate training programme should be structured to help build confidence in the workplace. Look for roles which highlight the support you will be given throughout, whether its regular meetings or being appointed a dedicated mentor.

5. Cultural fit

People want to work where they feel happy, supported, rewarded and motivated. Look at any potential organisation’s website and social media to try and find out more about its culture and values. There’s also a growing number of online forums where current and previous employees post about what an organisation is really like to work for.

Join us at Pure

Here at Pure we are also currently looking for a driven university leaver to join our own recruitment consultant graduate training programme. There’s still time to apply, with applications closing on 30 July. For more information about what it’s like to work with us, read our recent blog post by Ellie Steinfeldt, who originally joined us via our graduate programme.