Graduates experience 'tough competition' for jobs

University leavers are facing increasingly tough competition for the top graduate jobs, an expert has said.

Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, Margaret Dane, stated that the number of graduates leaving university is increasing each year and the competition for graduate recruitment schemes is hotting up.

'Competition is really in three main areas - intellectual ability, skills and motivation,' she said.

Explaining these three areas, Ms Dane noted that employers will first look to academic results, such as the class of degree attained alongside A-level grades.

Work experience and skills attained during university is the second aspect bosses will look for, she added, followed by the motivation to work in a particular field or industry.

Those graduates who know what they want to do will have an edge over those who are less sure, Ms Dane concluded.

Law students were found to be the most ambitious in terms of anticipated earnings by UK Graduate Careers Survey last year, as the average expected starting salary for a law student is £24,000.