What are the current challenges faced by today’s graduates, and how do they feel about the job market? AI career hub Kickresume has conducted new research, surveying over 1,000 graduates worldwide to learn about and compare the experiences of recent graduates to those of people who graduated at least a year ago.
1,277 people responded to Kickresume’s survey, who were divided into two groups: “fresh graduates” (students about to graduate, recent graduates, and those with less than a year’s work experience) and “earlier graduates” (people with more than a year’s work experience after graduating).
Some of the key findings included the fact that graduates today are less likely to have lined up a full time job to begin after graduation, and the growing popularity of social media and LinkedIn as platforms for job seeking.
LinkedIn is now more popular than job boards among fresh graduates. Fresh graduates and earlier graduates still have a great deal in common, with both groups saying CVs are the area of job hunting they struggle with most.
There were big differences in data around how and when graduates got their first job. 39% of the group of graduates with at least a year’s experience secured their job before they finished their studies. This is only the case for 12% of today’s graduates, making them nearly three times less likely to have found a job before graduation. While 25% of earlier graduates were still looking for a job after graduation, 58% of fresh graduates said they were still searching.
Another major change was the rise of Linkedin and other social media platforms as job hunting tools. 57% of fresh grads said that they were using LinkedIn for their search, compared to 29% of those who graduated earlier.
While only 7% of earlier graduates were using social media like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook groups to look for work, 29% of fresh graduates were using this strategy.
The research also asked people to describe how confident they felt about entering the workforce. Recent graduates and those about to graduate were more likely to say they felt confident, with 41% “100% confident”. This is significantly higher than earlier graduates reflecting on how they felt at the time when they were looking for their first job, with 30% saying they were “100% confident”.
Kickresume also asked respondents what they were most nervous about, when entering the workforce. 31% of fresh graduates said “not feeling ‘good enough’ or qualified” compared to 24% of earlier graduates. However, recent graduates were slightly less worried about dealing with interviews and rejection, with 17% of them saying this was their main concern compared to 19% of those who graduated earlier.
The survey also asked what people found challenging while looking for their first job. 65% of fresh graduates said that employers expected them to have experience without giving them an opportunity to get it.
Kickresume then investigated what the most stressful part of the job application process was when first entering the job market, and found that for 34% of fresh graduates and 27% of earlier graduates alike, it was writing a CV.
Peter Duris, CEO and Co-Founder of Kickresume said, “We were excited to compare today’s graduates and experienced workers.
“It’s clear to see that while people who are graduating right now are feeling more confident in some ways, they still face many of the same challenges as those who graduated before. For example, around 1 in 5 from both groups said they felt pressure to take a job they didn’t really want, or felt they didn’t get enough support after graduating.
“What really stood out, though, is how much job hunting has changed. The use of social media for job searching has nearly quadrupled, from just 7% of earlier graduates to 26% of new ones. LinkedIn, in particular, has become a go-to tool. 57% of fresh grads used it to find their first job, compared to just 29% of those who graduated earlier.
“With more job searching happening on social media, it’s a good idea to think about how you show up online. If you’re reaching out to companies or sharing career-related stuff, consider setting up a separate account just for that — somewhere you can post your projects or clips from events. Then keep your personal profile private and just for friends, in case a hiring manager decides to take a peek.”
