Eight Myths about Applying to Graduate Schemes Debunked

You’re not quite sure what job you want to do? That’s okay! Most people don’t figure this one out until they’re well into their late twenties and thirties. Not having a plan might even be an advantage and give you the freedom to explore different paths – which is exactly what graduate schemes are all about!

Don’t forget that new graduate jobs are created every day and that the workplace is undergoing such tremendous changes across countries and sectors, that most professionals today in fact would have a very hard time forecasting what their current job will look like in five years. 

While most schemes don’t ask for a specific degree, many do use classification as a filter in the recruitment process. Happily, many organizations such as Jaguar Landrover, the Civil Service, and Network Rail will accept a 2:2.

Volunteering, part-time work and leading a student society are just some of the many ways you could differentiate yourself. Once you get in, your performance in the workplace and experience will carry more weight than your degree classification.

If you haven’t got Arrested Development character Maeby Funke’s talent for snatching up opportunities, and very little previous work experience under your belt, all is not lost! The whole point of graduate schemes is to help fresh graduates try a new field and figure out their strengths and interests.

False! Many public sector and not-for-profit organizations, such as the UK’s Metropolitan Police or Charity Works, offer graduate schemes!

You might start off on a slightly higher salary on a graduate scheme (around £25,000 in the UK) than you would on a regular graduate job, but promotions will not necessarily follow. A job with a flexible and dynamic SME, by contrast, might be likely to expose you to more tasks earlier on in your career and to more frequent and systematic salary increases. So, sorry, but this belief is not always true!

Only 14% of graduates find jobs with blue chip companies when they graduate. Most fresh graduates work with SMEs. The advantages of starting your career with a smaller company are in fact many! You can expect to find more flexibility, hands-on experience from day one, ongoing training and in some cases a friendlier work environment.