Weak-branded firms not recognised - graduate jobs

Top graduates are failing to be enticed by major employers as their weak branding means candidates simply do not recognise them, according to a survey into alumni perceptions.

Recruitment website GradFutures.com found that only a third (37 per cent) of FTSE 100 companies were recognised by most of the potential candidates.

In a list of the top 100 graduate employers by volume, however, graduates found 62 per cent were recognisable - but this figure fell to 25 per cent when candidates were confronted with the next 100.

Director at GradFutures.com Demetrios Zoppos said: "Employers' recruitment strategies are failing them - many have jobs to offer, but graduates don't know what the companies do or that they even exist.

"Times are tough for graduates, but there are still plenty of opportunities out there, particularly among the top 200 graduate employers. These employers have a great opportunity to choose from the cream of this year's graduates but they are not doing enough to market these positions effectively."

According to the study, graduates have a perception that high street and well-known consumer brands are the largest graduate employers. Consequently they are more likely to focus their attention on these companies when entering the job market.

"Leading corporate employers need to do more to engage graduates if they are not to lose out to more familiar high street brands," Zoppos said. "Many of these organisations need to urgently revise their recruitment strategies if they want to engage the quality and quantity of graduates they will need to capitalise on the upturn".