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.

Social media screening is real: most employers check your profiles before hiring. Learn what to delete, what to keep, and how to pass the check today.

Social Media Screening: Clean Up Your Profiles in 2026

Social media screening is now a normal step in hiring. Many employers check your public profiles before they call you. The good news? You can control what they see. This guide shows what recruiters look for, what gets you rejected, and how to clean up your accounts in one afternoon.

TL;DR

Most employers check at least one of your social profiles before an interview.
One in five has rejected a candidate because of something found online.
Delete, hide, or fix anything rude, risky, or unprofessional.
Keep profiles that prove your skills and your character.

What Is Social Media Screening?

Social media screening is when an employer looks at your public posts, photos, and comments to learn more about you. It is not a secret. Firms do it to check that you match the image you show in your CV and interview. In the US, a 2018 CareerBuilder survey found that 70% of employers screen candidates on social media. Of those, 57% found content that put them off hiring someone.

The Numbers: Who Checks and What They Find

Survey data comes from the US and the UK, where the practice is common. The pattern is the same in most job markets: your profiles can help you or hurt you.

Survey.	Market.	Finding.
CareerBuilder (2018).	US.	70% of employers screen candidates on social media.
CareerBuilder (2018).	US.	57% of screeners found content that put them off hiring.
CareerBuilder (2017).	US.	47% are less likely to call someone with no online presence.
CareerBuilder (2017).	US.	38% are more likely to hire when a profile supports the CV.
YouGov (2017).	UK.	1 in 5 employers rejected a candidate because of social media.

Read that last row again. In the UK, one in five firms has turned someone down over a post, a photo, or a comment. In the US, a clean or empty profile rarely hurts, but a messy one often does.

What Recruiters Look For

Recruiters are not hunting for fun. They want answers to three questions.

Does this person match their CV? They check that your skills and claims line up.
Is this person professional? They look for how you speak about work and people.
Is this person safe to hire? They watch for risk, rudeness, or poor judgement.

What Gets Graduates Rejected

Some posts are deal-breakers. Here is what recruiters say pushes them to say no.

Hateful or aggressive comments about race, religion, gender, or politics.
Photos of heavy drinking, drugs, or reckless behaviour.
Bad-mouthing a past employer, a university, or a colleague in public.
Lying about grades, degrees, or experience on your profile.
Sharing confidential or private information about a former workplace.

You do not need to be perfect. You need to look like someone a firm can trust in front of clients.

How to Clean Up Social Media in One Afternoon

Set aside two hours. Work through each platform one at a time. Here is the order that works.

Search your own name in a private window and note what a stranger sees first.
Delete or archive posts with rude language, heavy drinking, or risky jokes.
Remove photos that show you in a poor light, even if they are old.
Untag yourself from posts and photos that others shared without thinking.
Check your comments on public pages and delete any that read as aggressive.
Turn your personal accounts to private where the platform allows it.
Update your bio, photo, and contact details so they look current.
Set a reminder to repeat the same pass every few months.

What to Keep Public

An empty profile is safe, but it is also a missed chance. A good profile can push a recruiter towards yes. In the US, 38% of employers said a profile that supported the CV made them more likely to hire.

Keep your LinkedIn profile polished and current. It is the first result most recruiters see.
Share projects, coursework, or volunteer work that proves your skills.
Post or engage with content about your field. It shows genuine interest.
Follow firms you want to join and comment with respect. That is online networking, and you can read our guide to networking without the cringe.
Keep one professional photo that matches the face on your CV.

Think of your public profiles as a second CV. Make them say the same thing as the first one.

Protect Yourself from Fake Recruiters

A tidy profile still needs guarding. Scammers copy real firms and real recruiters to steal your data. Never share bank details, ID numbers, or passwords in a chat. If a message feels off, check the firm's real website first. Learn how to spot fake job offers before they cost you.

The Bottom Line

Social media screening is part of the graduate job hunt now. You cannot stop recruiters from looking, but you can control what they see. Clean up the risk, keep the proof, and let your profiles work for you.

Ready to put your best face forward? Padgrad checks your CV against what employers want and matches you with real graduate jobs. Run your CV through the free CV checker on Padgrad, then apply with confidence.

By Ori