Speaking at a graduate recruitment event in London yesterday, Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) revealed a survey of its members indicating the majority expect their recruitment activity to remain steady or increase in 2011.
According to AGR's survey of big name recruiters 50% of respondents expect to fill the same number of vacancies in 2011 as they did this year, whereas just over 35% of respondents anticipate a higher number of vacancies in 2011. No talk of a double-dip in graduate recruitment then.
Dan Hawes, co-founder at GRB, the UKs leading independent graduate recruitment agency, says "I was at the presentation yesterday and the mood was much more upbeat than 6 months ago. Recruiters are gearing up to hire the brightest and the best graduates in the UK - and we're helping quite a few of them with their recruitment plans. One notable announcement yesterday was BTs plan to increase their hiring targets from 20 this year to 131 next year."
GRBs advice to finalists is get in early and avoid the last minute rush for jobs that left many able graduates taking their second-best option.
