So you’ve finished university and it’s time to go into the world of work. It’s not until we actually graduate that many of us actually ask ourselves ‘what is a graduate job?’

There seems to be no formal definition of a ‘what a graduate job is’. You might say it is either a job that a graduate with no or very little experience can do. It’s also called an ‘Entry Level job’. A better way of putting it is, a ‘It’s not only commonly known as this but also a job that needs a graduate with a degree!

From an employers point of view they will term a job a Graduate job when the abilities, and knowledge, required to perform the role, incorporating further learning will require someone of a degree standard. Generally the average recent graduate and school leaver at the age of 21-22 will be earning very similar wages but as the years progress from then graduate salaries tend to be higher. Graduates may even start in the same role as a schoolm leaver but more often thtan not with the intention of quicker progression.

So what do you need to get a graduate Job?

Different employers have different requirements. Often there is no specific degree required . It is more the fact that you have a degree, proving a level of study and aptitude and also highlighting transferrable skills such as essay writing, presenting etc.
In terms of degrees required this varies hugely. Official Graduate Schemes & Graduate Programmes do often require a minimum of a 2.1, but many samller companies will accept a 2.2 or 3rd. This depends on the sector. Many employers will accept less, particularly if from a top tier university such as Oxford or Cambridge.

You might now like to read our article, ‘What is a Graduate Programme?’

Hopefully this article has highlighted the main question of, ‘what is a graduate job?’ but if you have any further questions on this, get in contact through our social media profiles.