padgrad is a free career platform for UK 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 UK graduate recruiters.

How many jobs should I apply for as a graduate?

UK 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 in the UK?

Most UK 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. The civil service fast stream and larger graduate schemes can take 4-6 months from application to offer.

What is the average graduate salary in the UK for 2026?

The median graduate salary in the UK for 2026 is around £28,000-£32,000 depending on sector. Investment banking, law, and tech pay the highest (£35,000+), while public sector and charity roles typically start lower (£24,000-£27,000). Regional salaries average 10-20% lower outside London.

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 UK 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 in the UK typically pay between £25,000 and £35,000 in the first year, with some industries paying significantly more. Law firms and investment banks often start at £45,000-£55,000. Most schemes also offer benefits like bonuses, pension contributions, and professional qualification sponsorship.

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

Research from High Fliers shows the UK's 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 in September and October for roles starting the following September, 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.

Track Your Way to a Graduate Job: Why Application Tracking is the Secret Weapon Every UK Grad Needs

Track every application, learn from every rejection, and land your graduate job with Padgrad's free organisational tools for UK graduates.

TL;DR

Abasomyi abasinga basaba emirimu mingi nga tebagoberera kintu kyonna — oluvannyuma tebajjukira kampuni ki eyabawa omukisa gw'okuyogera, bali ku mutendera ki, oba lw'okugobereramu. Enkola y'okugoberera ebintu ennyangu ekyusa buli kintu.
Application Tracker ekyusa obutabanguko okufuuka obulungi — wandiika buli mulimu, goberera enkola yo mu mitendera (wasaba → okukeberebwa → okuzannya okukyankalanya → okufuna omulimu/okugaana), era tolyaawo kintu kyonna.
Ebifa ku kugaana kwo bya zaabu — okuwandiika lwaki toyise mu mitendera egimu kiraga enkola ez'ekyama ezikwekebwa buli omu. Rejection Log ekola kino nga tekinnyiza.
Goberera n'ebitondo byo — okozesa emikutu gy'emirimu egisasulwa n'okukeberebwa kwa CV okw'ekikungu? Credits tool ekukuumira ku bajeti yo, oleme okukozesa ssente nnyingi ku kunoonya omulimu.

Lwaki Okunoonya Omulimu Kw'abayizi Abangi Kuba Kwa Buzibu

Wano waliwo ekintu kye ndaba buli kiseera. Omuyizi asaba emirimu amakumi asatu mu wiiki mukaaga. Atuma okusaba okuva ku simu ye ku ggaali, akuuma ebbaluwa ezigumya mu bbokisi ye, era mu bwongo agoberera buli mulimu guli ku mutendera ki. Ku wiika ya nnya, aba afudde. "Nasaba Deloitte oba sisaaba? Yali kampuni eyasaba portfolio? Lw'andigoberedde?"

Kino si kizibu kya busobozi. Kya kizibu kya nkola. Obwongo bwo tebumanyi kugoberera emirimu mingi omulundi gumu — ky'ekyo software gye kikolera. Era mu katale k'emirimu egy'okuwangula, w'ebikumi by'abayizi bye banoonya buli mulimu, enjawulo wakati w'okuwangula n'okufaayirana etera kuba ku ani eyeekenneenya.

Application Tracker Ekola Ki?

Enkola ennungi ey'okugoberera okusaba — nga eyo ezimbibwa mu Padgrad's Application Tracker — ekuwa ekifo kimu eky'amazima ku kunoonya kwo omulimu. Wano waliwo enkola eno bw'ekola:

Laba Buli Kintu Mu Kifo Kimu

Mu kifo ky'okunoonya mu bbokisi yo "Webale ku saba kwo", wandiika buli mulimu ng'osaba. Tracker ekulaga olupapula lw'ebintu byonna, omutendera gw'oliko, n'ekyo ky'olina okukola — byonna mu kusooka.

Goberera Enkola Yo Mu Buli Mutendera

Enkola y'okufuna abayizi erina emitendera egy'enjawulo: wasaba, okukeberebwa ku mutimbagano, okuzannya okukyankalanya, okusaba okusembayo, okufuna omulimu. Buli mutendera gulina ebintu eby'enjawulo eby'okukola n'ebiseera eby'enjawulo. Tracker ekukozesa okulaba buli mulimu guli ku mutendera ki, n'omanya wa gye w'oteekwa okussa amaaso go buli lunaku.

Tolyaawo Kugoberera

Ebbaluwa ennungi ey'okugoberera oluvannyuma lwa wiika bbiri nga tewali kigambibwa, y'emu ku nkola ezisinga okwagalwa mu kunoonya omulimu. Naye tosobola kugituma singa tomanyi lw'wasaba. Tracker erina ennaku ezizimbibwa mu, era buli kiseera omanyi ki ekyayita ekiseera ky'okugoberera.

Ekigendererwa Ekikwekebwe Mu Kuwandiika Okugaana

Tewali anyumirwa kuwandiika okugaana. Kisaawa. Naye wano waliwo ekintu — ebifa ku kugaana bye bigambo ebisinga okugasa ku kunoonya kwo omulimu, era ebisinga biba byesalidde.

Awatali Rejection Log, "nedda" kiba luggi oluggale. Oyinza okwewuunya ekyali kikyamu, oluvannyuma odde ku mulimu oguddako. Naye singa okuwandiika buli kugaana n'ekigambo ku ekyaliwo — "natuuka ku kuzannya okukyankalanya, nafirwa mu kukola mu kibinja", "okuzannya okukyankalanya kwagenda bulungi naye baayagala ebisingawo mu by'emirimu" — enkola zitandika okulabika. Kampuni ssatu ezenjawulo zangaanira ku mutendera gw'okukeberebwa? Ayagala CV yange teyise mu kusooka. Ekyo kye kigambo ekikola ekikyusa okugaana okuva mu kufaayirana okufuuka ebifa ku kukola.

Enkola ssatu z'oteekwa okulaba mu byafaayo by'okugaana:

Okugaana mu ntandikwa (wasaba → tewali kuddamu): CV yo oba ebbaluwa yo tezikola. Ziyise mu AI CV Checker era wandiika okusaba kwo.
Okugaana mu kiseera ekyawakati (okuzannya → tewali kufuna): Enkola yo y'okuzannya eetaaga okukola. Tega amaaso ku kwetegekera n'okukola.
Okugaana mu kiseera eky'oluvannyuma (okuzannya okusembayo → tewali kufuna): Oli mu mpaka naye ofaayirana ku nsonda. Genda mu maaso — oli kumpi.

Okukozesa CV Builder N'Omugoberera Wo

Wano waliwo enkola ekola bulungi. Tandika ne CV Builder okukola CV ennungi eyayita mu ATS. Kozesa CV eyo okusaba emirimu, wandiika buli mulimu mu Application Tracker. Bw'otandika okulaba enkola y'okugaana mu ntandikwa, ddayo mu CV Builder, kyusa ebigambo byo, era oyise mu CV Checker nate. Kola kino buli kiseera.

Kino kikola enkola ey'okudda n'okudda: saba → goberera → kebera → kulakulanya → saba nate. Y'emu nkola ey'okukola emirundi mingi abakola software gye bakozesa, era ekola buli ngeri mu kunoonya omulimu.

Okukuumira Bajeti Yo Mu Kunoonya Omulimu

Okunoonya omulimu kw'abayizi tekwa bwereere. Okugenda mu assessment centres, okugula engoye ez'okuzannya, emirimu gya CV egy'ekikungu, n'okusasula platform byongera mangu. Bw'okozesa ssente ku nkola, Credit Transactions tool ekukozesa okugoberera bajeti yo. Kino kye kimu ku bintu eby'okukola — kubanga ekintu ekisembayo ky'oyagala kwe kufuna omulimu n'olaba nga wasasula kitundu kya signing bonus yo ku kunoonya.

Okutandika Mu Ddakika Ttaano

Teyetaaga spreadsheets ez'ekikugu okugoberera okunoonya kwo omulimu. Wano waliwo enkola ennyangu:

Wandiika buli mulimu gw'osabye mu Application Tracker — wandiika omutendera gw'oliko n'ebiseera eby'okukola.
Yongera okugaana kwo okw'edda mu Rejection Log n'ekigambo ku ekyaliwo.
Bwe kiba nti CV yo eetaaga okukyusibwa, kozesa CV Builder era oyise mu AI CV Checker okufuna ebigambo.
Weeyambe okuwandiika buli kusaba okugenda mu maaso — kitwala ddakika amakumi asatu era kikugasa emirundi kkumi.

Ekigendererwa Ekisembayo

Katale k'emirimu egy'abayizi mu UK kazibu. Toyinza kufuga empaka, naye oyinza okufuga enkola yo ey'okwekenneenya. Enkola ennungi ey'okugoberera teyija kukugasa okufuna omulimu, naye ejja kukugasa nga tolyaawo kugoberera, tolyaawo okwerabira w'oli, era tolyaawa kugaana okufaayirana nga tokuyigirako. Ekyo kye kigendererwa eky'okuwangula abayizi abangi abatalina.