We must spread the net wider in graduate recruitment

By Sébastien Thibault

The financial services industry is at a crossroads. It is eager to ensure its longevity by enticing the next generation of bright, young recruits taking their first steps in the world of work, but hamstrung by negative stereotypes perpetuated amongst graduates and school leavers about working hours and company culture.

Traditionally, many of the UK’s leading firms have relied on using a small number of well-established entry points — such as top-tier universities — when recruiting young people into their organisations.

Yet the cumulative effect of this is that, over time, companies have come to the realisation that their workforce is not as diverse as it could, or indeed, ought to be.

The way young people are recruited through graduate schemes also limits diversity. It involves a process in which applicants need to meet a rigorous set of requirements, including achieving a particular degree classification, studying a certain subject, or excelling at a host of challenging psychometric tests.

https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/we-must-spread-the-net-wider-in-graduate-recruitment-20180807