Recession will 'drive graduate recruitment'

While the economic downturn may have closed the door on graduate vacancies at some firms, the jobs market as a whole will still look primarily to those with degrees, it has been claimed.

Danielle Grufferty, President of Liverpool's Guild of Students, believes that graduates are still seen as the standard bearers among the employment pool - a fact that will only become more acute in the coming months.

'With the economic downturn, there will be an even greater focus on those who attend university, as the market concentrates on graduates to become its future leaders,' she told The Guardian.

However, she acknowledged that increased competition means that graduates now need to come equipped with more than just a solid academic record, with extracurricular activities and work experience among the desirable attributes.

The news follows a report in Personnel Today, in which it was claimed that only 4% of graduates in a poll by Reed would choose finance careers at present.