The final exam is finished, loved ones have wept at the sight of you in a graduation gown and you've bid farewell to life as a student — so what happens next?
Savvy students and recent graduates seem to have their eye firmly on the future — nine out of 10 have a clear career path in mind, according to a GradFutures survey.
However, if you are one of those without a plan, are worried there is a rocky path ahead in order to reach that ideal graduate career or aren't not feeling so positive — you're not alone.
The class of 2010 are, understandably, pessimistic about what lies in store for them — 45 per cent of final year students feel prospects for new graduates are very limited, according to High Fliers Research.
In fact, one in six of the 16,000 surveyed said they wouldn't have gone to university if they had realised how tough the graduate job market would be.
So if your job opportunity in-tray is emptier than an 8am lecture and the prospect of landing an internship seems more daunting than penning a 20,000 word dissertation, don't despair.
Join our live Q&A on Wednesday where an expert panel will be available to answer your questions about hunting for that first golden opportunity. So whether you have your eye on a graduate recruitment scheme, an internship or perhaps you'd like to share your experiences and concerns — come and join us between midday and 3pm.
Our panel:
Ben Rosen, managing director of Inspiring Interns, a recruitment company that specialises in finding graduates three-month internships in their desired field of work.
Dan Hawes, co-founder of Graduate Recruitment Bureau, a graduate recruitment agency which matches job-seekers with recruiters and also provides coaching.
Nicola Fitzgerald is graduate manager at Vodafone UK. Nicola helped launch the company's first graduate programme for seven years in November last year, and she has 15 years experience working in learning and development.
Becky Ascough is internship project manager at Graduates Yorkshire, a social enterprise which matches graduates to businesses in the region. Becky's CV includes a graduate employability role for The Higher Education Academy and working in knowledge economy at Yorkshire Universities.
James Darley is director of graduate recruitment at Teach First - a charity which trains top graduates to work in challenging schools. James is responsible for attracting and selecting around 700 graduates for the 2011 intake of the programme. He has worked in graduate recruitment for nearly 12 years - six of them spent at Teach First.
Jennifer Caswell is a consultant for Grad Central, a recruitment company which brings together graduates and employers solely in the West Midlands. Jennifer has been working in recruitment for seven years following her graduation from Loughborough University.
Ian Gibbs is head of knowledge transfer and innovation for Thames Valley University. Ian's role includes an overall responsibility for establishing academic and commercial relationships and overseeing the university's internship programme - a scheme which places graduates with employers and offers university-based training over an eight-week period.
Advance questions are welcome as always — if you are going to be joining us from The Guardian London Graduate Fair feel free to leave your query before you head down there.
