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.

Learn how to research a company before an interview. Where to look, what to note and how to use it in your answers. A practical guide for new graduates.

Research a Company Before an Interview: Graduate Guide

You have the interview. Now you need to walk in knowing more about the firm than the job advert told you. Learning how to research a company before an interview is one of the fastest ways to stand out, because most candidates do not bother. This guide shows you where to look, what to note and how to use it.

TL;DR

Research takes about an hour and it is the difference between a good answer and a great one.
Use five sources: the company website, recent news, LinkedIn, review sites and the job advert itself.
Write a one page brief you can glance at five minutes before you walk in.
Turn every fact you find into a question or an answer, never a recital.

Why Companies Expect You to Do Your Homework

Interviewers can tell within two minutes whether you have read anything about them. A candidate who knows the firm's main products, its recent news and the team they might join sounds serious. A candidate who asks what the company does sounds like they applied to fifty places and forgot yours. Research also calms nerves. When you know the firm, you talk about it like a place you already belong.

What to Look For

You do not need to memorise everything. You need four or five solid facts you can use in conversation. Aim to answer these questions before the interview.

What does the firm actually sell, and to whom?
How does it make money?
What has it done or said in the last six months?
Who works there, and what do they talk about?
Where does it sit next to its main rivals?

How to Research a Company Before an Interview

Work through these steps in order. An hour is plenty.

1. Read the company website properly

Start with the home page, then the about page, then the careers page. Note the words the firm uses about itself. If it calls itself a platform, not an agency, use its language. Check the leadership team and the latest annual report if it is public.

2. Scan the last six months of news

Search the firm's name and sort by date. Look for funding rounds, new products, expansions, leadership changes and any problems. You want at least one recent story you can mention naturally.

3. Check LinkedIn

Find the people who would be your manager or your teammates. Read their job titles and the posts they share. If you spot a common project or a skill they value, note it.

4. Read reviews, but with care

Review sites show you how staff see the culture and the day to day. Treat them as hints, not facts. One angry review is noise. A pattern across many is a signal.

5. Look at the competitors

Know two or three rivals by name. Being able to say how the firm differs from them shows you understand the market, not just the job.

Where to Find Good Information

Use the source that suits the fact you need. This table keeps it simple.

Source.	What to look for.
Company website.	Products, mission, leadership, values.
Recent news.	Funding, launches, growth, problems.
LinkedIn.	Team structure, hiring, shared posts.
Review sites.	Culture, management style, workload.
The job advert.	Skills the team says it needs.

Turn Research Into Interview Answers

Research is useless if you just recite it. Use it in three ways. First, answer the why us question with a real reason that only your reading could give. Second, ask a sharp question about something you found. Third, connect your own experience to a problem the firm has said it cares about.

Tidy your own online presence too, because they will look you up. If you want to sharpen the words you use, our CV checker and CV builder are free to try.

Prep your answers the same way you would for any interview. Start with the graduate interview preparation guide, then practise the questions to ask in an interview. If your research turns up a person worth contacting, the networking guide shows how to reach out politely.

Common Research Mistakes

Reading only the home page and stopping there.
Memorising facts you never use in an answer.
Walking in with no questions of your own.
Confusing the firm with a competitor you read about.
Leaving your social profiles untidy after they look you up.

The Bottom Line

Researching a company before an interview is not about showing off. It is about turning up prepared, asking better questions and sounding like someone who wants this job in particular. Spend an hour, write one page, and walk in calm.

Padgrad helps graduates find roles, tailor applications and walk into interviews ready. Sign up free to track your applications and get matched to jobs that fit.

By Ori

For a closer look, read our guide to critical thinking skills for graduates.