Graduate sales recruitment targets rise for 2010

One-third of employers are planning to increase their graduate sales recruitment targets this year, new research has shown.

The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) said that about 65 per cent of businesses were planning to spend the same amount of time or more on campus to speak to graduates, despite the current economic downturn.

Data from the survey also revealed that employer confidence in the UK economy is higher than it was three months ago, with half of the firms questioned saying that they were 'slightly' or 'much' more confident now.

Only six per cent said that they were less confident about their business prospects.

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, said that the results were encouraging for graduates looking for sales jobs, as well as for businesses who were starting to see the light at the end of the economic tunnel.

He added: "The fact that most employers expect to have an active presence on campuses this year and are maintaining or raising their graduate recruitment targets shows an understanding of how important investment in attracting new talent is."

By Paul Goatman
The AGR recently offered advice to sales recruitment companies, saying that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter should not be used to find graduates.

AGR research showed that 70 per cent of graduates did not want to be approached by agencies on these sites.

Aaron Wallis is a specialist marketing and sales recruitment agency that offers graduate sales jobs across a wide range of industry sectors. For employers, Aaron Wallis offers a unique graduate recruitment service that is backed by a 12 month rebate period.

Filed: 24-09-2009