padgrad is a free career platform for graduates. It matches jobs to your degree, generates AI-powered CV checks and cover letters, and sends daily personalised job digests matched to your field of study.

Yes. You get 10 free credits on sign-up to use on AI CV checks and cover letters. All other tools — job matching, budgeting, application tracking, rejection logging — are free with no credit card required.

How does the AI CV Checker work?

Upload your CV and paste a job description. The AI analyses your CV against the role requirements, gives you an ATS compatibility score out of 100, and tells you exactly what keywords and formatting changes to make — helping you pass automated screening systems used by graduate recruiters.

How many jobs should I apply for as a graduate?

Graduates typically need to send between 20 and 50 applications to land a role, with top graduate schemes receiving an average of 58 applications per vacancy. Focus on quality over quantity — tailor each CV and cover letter to the role rather than spamming the same application everywhere.

How long does it take to get a graduate job?

Most graduates take between 3 and 6 months to land their first graduate role, though it varies by sector. Consulting, tech, and investment banking tend to have faster hiring cycles. Larger graduate schemes can take 4-6 months from application to offer.

What is the average graduate salary for 2026?

Graduate salaries vary widely by country, sector and region. Investment banking, law and tech tend to pay the highest, while public sector and charity roles typically start lower. Salaries in major cities usually sit above the national average — check local salary guides for figures relevant to your market.

How do I write a graduate CV with no work experience?

Focus on transferable skills from your degree — research projects, group assignments, presentations, and coursework. Include volunteering, society memberships, part-time jobs, and any placements or internships. Use Padgrad's CV Builder to structure your CV for ATS systems, then run it through the AI CV Checker to see how it scores.

How are jobs matched to my degree on padgrad?

We scrape thousands of graduate jobs daily and match them to over 300 specific degree fields. Whether you studied Biology, Law, Engineering, Psychology, or History — we only show you roles that fit your subject area and send them straight to your daily digest.

Do graduate schemes pay well?

Graduate schemes typically pay a competitive starting salary, with some industries paying significantly more. Law firms and investment banks often pay the most. Most schemes also offer benefits like bonuses, pension contributions, and professional qualification sponsorship — check each employer's offer for the specifics.

How many applications does it take to get a graduate job?

Research shows top employers receive an average of 58 applications per graduate vacancy. Most successful graduates send 20-40 tailored applications before receiving an offer. Track every application using Padgrad's Application Tracker to spot which types of roles you progress furthest in.

Can I apply for graduate jobs before I graduate?

Yes — most large graduate schemes open applications 6-12 months before the role starts, so you should apply in your final year. Smaller companies and direct-entry roles tend to hire closer to the start date. Padgrad's daily job digest includes both graduate schemes and entry-level roles you can apply for straight away.

What should a graduate CV include?

A strong graduate CV should include: your degree with predicted or achieved grade, relevant modules and dissertation topic, transferable skills (research, teamwork, communication), part-time work or volunteering, technical skills and software proficiency, and a personal profile. Most recruiters spend under 10 seconds scanning a CV — use Padgrad's AI CV Checker to make sure yours passes the six-second test.

Graduate recruitment agencies find roles that never reach job boards. Learn how they work, what they cost and how to register in 2026. Check your CV for free.

Graduate Recruitment Agencies: How to Get Placed in 2026

Graduate recruitment agencies know which firms are hiring right now. Many roles never reach a job board. An agency can put you forward for a temp job, a contract or a permanent role. This guide explains how graduate recruitment agencies work, how to register and the one fee you should never pay.

TL;DR

Agencies find roles that never appear on job boards.
Employers pay them, not you. Never pay a fee to get a job.
Temp work is the fastest route into a permanent role.
A good consultant needs a clear CV, a clear target and weekly contact.

What a recruitment agency actually does

An agency matches people to jobs. It finds the vacancies. Then it screens candidates for the employer.

Two types exist. A recruitment agency fills permanent roles. An employment business supplies temp workers. Many firms do both.

The employer pays. A firm usually pays a percentage of your first year salary. For temp work it pays a day rate and the agency pays you.

The agency also handles the shortlist, the interview dates and the contract. For temp work it runs payroll too.

What graduate recruitment agencies do for you

They give you three things you cannot easily get alone.

Access. Some employers brief an agency before they advertise anywhere.
Speed. A consultant can get your CV in front of a hiring manager in a day.
Feedback. A good consultant tells you why you missed a role.

They also negotiate pay on your behalf. And they can find short contracts that fill a gap on your CV.

One warning. The agency works for the employer. It only earns money when someone is placed. So it will push the roles it can fill, not always the role you dream about.

How to register with a graduate recruitment agency

1. Pick agencies that match your target

Choose three to five. Search for agencies that specialise in your sector. A general agency knows call centre work well. A niche agency knows data, marketing or engineering.

2. Register and send a clear CV

Most agencies use one online form. Upload a CV that names your degree, your skills and your target role. Do not send a generic document.

3. Take the screening call seriously

A consultant will ring you within days. That call is an interview. Have your dates, your notice and your salary range ready.

4. Agree the terms in writing

You should get written terms before any work. Read them. Check the pay rate, the length of the job and who pays you.

5. Stay in touch every week

Ring or email your consultant once a week. Tell them your interview outcomes. Silence loses you the next call.

Keep a record of every agency, consultant and role. The same tracking habit that keeps a direct job search clean works here. Our guide to job search follow up shows the simple system.

Temp, contract or permanent: which one fits you?

Ask what the role is before you say yes. Each type suits a different stage.

Type.	What it means.	Best for.
Temp.	Paid by the hour, for days or weeks.	Earning now and building experience fast.
Fixed-term contract.	A set number of months on a salary.	Adding a known employer to your CV.
Permanent.	An ongoing role with no end date.	Graduates who know their target.
Graduate scheme.	A structured one to three-year programme.	Those who want training and rotation.

Most graduate schemes recruit direct, not through an agency. Read our guide to graduate schemes and direct entry to compare both routes.

Money: who pays the agency?

The employer pays. That is the rule in every market.

In the UK, the law is clear. The government states that an agency cannot charge a fee to a work-seeker for work finding services. It also cannot stop you working elsewhere or withhold your wages.

Check the licence before you sign anything. Kenya's National Employment Authority publishes verified agencies on its NEAIMS portal. Uganda's Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development licenses recruitment agencies. The Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers lists licensed agencies and warns against paying fees to unlicensed firms.

Also ask for your written terms. In the UK you must get the terms and a key information document before you start looking for work. Temp workers must get paid holiday, the minimum wage and a payslip.

Never hand over original certificates. Never pay for training, processing or a visa. Walk away and report it.

How to work well with your consultant

1. Be specific about what you want

Say the job title, the sector and the area you will travel to. Also say what you will not take.

2. Reply fast

A missed call can cost you an interview slot. Call back the same day.

3. Send your feedback

Tell them how each interview went. Good consultants use that detail to find you a better fit.

4. Keep your details current

Send a new CV when you finish a course or start a project. Update your start date too.

5. Tailor every CV you send

One version per type of role. Then adjust the top third for each vacancy. Our free CV checker shows what a recruiter reads first.

Red flags to watch for

Any request for money. Fees for a job are a warning sign.
A job offer with no interview.
A refusal to name the employer.
Pressure to sign the same day.
A promise of a guaranteed visa abroad.
Bank details wanted before a written offer.

Agency or direct application?

Use both. Agencies reach the hidden market. Direct applications reach the big graduate schemes.

Agencies move fast and give feedback. They also cover only their own client list. Direct applications take longer. But they open more roles and give you more control.

Most graduates who get hired quickly run both routes at once. Our list of graduate job websites covers the direct side.

The Bottom Line

Graduate recruitment agencies are a route, not a rescue. Register with three to five that match your target.

Never pay a fee. Ask for the terms in writing. Then prove yourself in the first week of a temp contract.

Many graduates get a permanent offer from a short contract. That is how the hidden job market works.

Your CV decides whether a consultant calls you at all. Use our free CV checker to see what recruiters notice first. Then build a clean version in the CV builder.

By Ori