Back to articles
Competition for graduate roles is fierce and the war between top employers looking to recruit the best talent is intense. That’s according to our CEO James in his interview with BBC Business Live.
James talked about how Bright Network is creating the workforce of tomorrow by connecting ambitious graduates with leading employers in a smarter way.
He described how Bright Network uses data and insights to understand the needs of the 190,000+ student and graduate members on our diverse network, and to provide the support they need to enter a great career.
“What we’re finding is by investing in these students and taking a long-term view through their career life-cycle, they’re becoming more confident and more informed about the careers they can access”
James went on to discuss what employers see as differentiating between candidates in such a competitive market:
“What sets graduates apart is commercial awareness, and how you can add value to the organisation. Students still think they need to attain a 2:1 or above, but employers are looking to see, are they business-savvy? Are they going to make this business better?”
James described gen Z as “the generation that wants to give back and contribute”, which resonates with findings from our latest research. Young people are more purpose-driven than ever before and are just as likely to have chosen their degree course due to a passion for their subject than purely to get a good job.
Our research highlighted that only 5% of graduates value salary over a good working culture and flexibility in the workplace. For this generation it’s about working for the right company, not just working for the right salary.