The Guardian London Graduate Fair from The Careers Group is the only graduate recruitment fair you will need to visit this summer.
Attracting over 7,000 pre-registered visitors, 6,000 attendees over 2 days and more than 100 exhibitors, it is one of the largest graduate fairs in Europe.
Despite the current economic climate, vacancies and graduate schemes are still being advertised in their thousands across all industries, and exhibitor bookings for this year's fair are well in line with the same period in 2008, further proving that future job prospects for graduates are not as bleak as they at first appeared.
Even companies from the beleaguered financial sector will be exhibiting, demonstrating that roles are still out there for candidates willing to do their research and impress recruiters.
The reduction in numbers of graduate vacancies in 2009 is now projected to be much less significant than was at first feared, as employers appreciate the need to keep their workforce strong for when the upturn comes. Indeed many sectors remain virtually unaffected, with some employers even increasing their graduate intake this year (reference: AGR Winter Survey).
This trend is reflected in the range of exhibitors confirmed at this year's fair, which includes names from the finance, retail, engineering, technology, third and public sectors, such as CIPFA, IG Index, Waitrose, Abercrombie & Fitch, McDonalds, FDM Group, the Civil Service Fast Stream Programme, Cancer Research UK, the London Fire Brigade, the RAF and the Army.
Of course, in this increasingly competitive jobs market, it is more important than ever for students and graduates to get the edge on their fellow candidates. For some, this may mean taking up further study or getting involved in voluntary work to enhance their CV.
As has been the case in previous recessions, uptake of further study is expected to increase, and the Training & Education Zone at the fair will boast a number of diverse institutions from across the UK offering a range of academic and professional qualifications and vocational courses.
The Alternative Options Zone will also showcase organisations that offer voluntary and charity work and gap year travel, including VSO, STA Travel and BUNAC.
The Careers Group Zone will provide expert and impartial advice to students and graduates.
The importance of research and preparation when job hunting will be highlighted in the C2 Careers Consultancy sessions, while the free CV surgery will give visitors the chance to hone their CVs and learn how to sell themselves to potential employers.
The Presentations Programme will offer sessions on how students can become more employable, focusing on skills including how to be a good interviewee and how to survive an assessment centre.
New for this year, in response to queries from anxious students worried about how they will fare in this more challenging jobs market, there will be a Question Time-style panel debate featuring industry experts from the world of graduate recruitment answering questions on how to find a job during the recession.
In order to make the most of your visit to this fair, you will need to take a strategic approach:
Target exhibitors
Identify the key employers you are interested in, how and when they recruit, what they look for in successful candidates. You might want to find out which employers offer open days, taster days, work experience - this shows you are genuinely interested and committed. Keep an eye on the news and follow any particular company you are interested in – have they made any recent acquisitions? Have they won any business related awards? Be able to talk through a news story and demonstrate an understanding of the issues raised.
Use the exhibitor list on the website to identify the exhibitors who interest you and do some research before you get there.
Prepare
Before you come to the fair, think about how you can raise your own profile above that of the other 6,000 visitors. Get your CV checked – you can do this in advance at your college careers service, or you can visit the CV Surgery on the day. If you have an interview coming up, you can benefit from one of the free presentation programmes, or even better book a place on one of our workshops such as Surviving Assessment Centres, or How To Be A Good Interviewee.
For more in-depth advice on the day, you can book an appointment with one of the C2 consultants (£25 for a 25-minute-session).
Take a look at the full presentation programme and plan your day in advance.
Essential facts:
*Pre-registered visitors will get fast-track entry from 12pm. All other visitors may enter the fair from 1pm onwards.
The fair is organised by The Careers Group, University of London.
For more information on visiting the fair, or taking an exhibition stand, please contact The Events Team on 020 7863 6050 or email fairs@careers.lon.ac.uk
