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.

How to Write a CV That Actually Passes ATS Filters (UK Graduate Guide)

Most graduate CVs never get seen by a human recruiter. Here is how the AI CV Checker on padgrad can help you fix that — and what recruiters actually look for.

Ku bayizi ba UK abayingira mu nsonda y'emirimu, okutegeera engeri Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) gye zikola si kyeragiro — kikulu. Okunoonyereza kutegeeza nti okutuuka ku 75% bya CV sibisomebwa nga omukozi omuntu tannabisoma, era omukuumi omukulu ye ATS.

Omwongoo guno gutegereza ebyo ATS software gy'efunza, ensobi ennyo abayizi we bakola, n'engeri y'okukakasa nti CV yo efuuka omuntu omulamu.

Applicant Tracking System ye ki?

ATS ye software ekozesebwa baami b'emirimu okukuumira obungi bw'okusaba emirimu gye bafuna. Ekola scanning ku buli CV, ekkutula amawulire amakulu (okusoma, obumanyirivu bw'emirimu, ebikugu), n'ebbiba esomero n'obulambike bw'omulimu. Abagendererwa ab'emipimo gye gukka wansi w'ekkomo ly'eddoboozi, bakemebwa mu kintulukano.

Abakulembeze ba UK abasinga okuwa emirimu ku bayizi bakozesa ATS filtering nga siftinga y'embere. Kino kye kizinga ebibiina nga PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, Aldi, Civil Service Fast Stream, Lloyds Banking Group, ne BAE Systems. Bw'oba osaba emirimu mu bibiina byonna ku bino, CV yo ejja kukolebwa ATS nga tennatuuka ku mukozi.

Ensobi za CV ezikyalira okukemebwa

1. Okukola Formatting Okuzibu

CV erabika nungi nnyo ey'amaaso esobola okulabika nga ya kitalo, naye ATS software efuuka obujeemu ku bizingiriro, bokisi za yandika, meza, ne kkalipufi. Ebintu bino bisobola okuleetera parser okusoma obubi oba okuleka eby'omunda ddala.

Ekisembayo: Kozesa layout ya lunnyiriri olumu n'ekiyiti ekya bulijjo (Arial oba Calibri, 10–11pt). Dda CV yo nga .docx fayiro okugyako bw'aba miiko ayanze PDF. Weewale templates okuva ku dimbulukute ez'akikula ekizibu okukozesa formatting etali ya bulijjo.

2. Ebirimu Ebitalina Njawulo Mu Busaba Bwonna

Okutuma CV yeemu eri buli miiko ye nsobi ekusinga abayizi kwe bakola. Buli kulambika kw'omulimu kuba n'ebigambo ebikalala n'ebikugu ebisabiddwa. ATS eterekeddwa okunoonya bigambo bino ddala.

Ekisembayo: Kole CV yo ya njawulo buli lw'osaba emirimu ng'oyita mu kussa mu bigambo ebikozesebwa mu kulambika kw'omulimu. Bw'aba miiko asaba "stakeholder management", kozesa bigambo bino ddala so si "working with people". AI CV Checker yaffe esobola okumanya bigambo ki ku CV yo ebikoowa mu kaseera katono.

3. Format ya Fayiro Etali ya Bwenkanya

Wadde PDFs zikebera nnyo mu kukuumira formatting, enzimba ezuuliddwa ATS ezimu zizisoma mu ngeri etakutegyeka. Kino kizinga ku PDFs ezaakolebwa n'okuziŋŋaana oba ekiyiti ekitali kya bulijjo.

Ekisembayo: Wandiika CV yo nga .docx fayiro okugyako nga ebiragiro by'okusaba bisalawo endala. Osobola okusaba, twala CV yo mu CV Checker okukakasa nti esoma bulungi.

4. Ebikulu Bya Bwannannyini Ebizibe

Ebikulu eby'ebbangulo nga "Nze ndi muyizi omugugu nnyo anonya omulimu ogukakali" tebikola kigendererwa. Tebikuyawula ku bayizi abalala era biggjibwa mu ngeri ennene ATS software.

Ekisembayo: Okkale ekikulu ekitalina njawulo n'ekiwandiiko ky'ekikugu ekimpi ekya miriri esatu okutuuka ku ssatu ekizinga ekisomo kyo, ekikolwa ekikulu ky'okoze, n'ekikulu ky'okugenda mu maaso. Kino kigere n'omulimu ogwo kusobola okwongera omuwendo gwo ogwa ATS.

5. Section y'Ebikugu Ezikwekeddwa

Okuteeka section yo y'ebikugu mu nkomerero y'ekiwandiiko, oba okusiŋŋira eby'ebikugu mu ladi z'ebigambo eby'okuwa amawulire, kukendeza omukisa okuva ATS okubitwala.

Ekisembayo: Teeka section ya kikugu eyawuddemu nga ekulira oluvannyuma lw'obutundhe bw'okusoma kwo. Kozesa formatting eyangu obutonde okusomebwa n'okuwa enkulu z'ebikugu mu ngeri eyawuddemu (mufana: Python, SQL, Excel, Mandarin).

Okuwangula CV Yo Oli Sooka Okusaba

Goberera olutalo luno oli sooka okusaba emirimu egy'emirundu:

Format: Kozesa .docx, layout ya lunnyiriri olumu, ekiyiti ekyabulijjo
Bigambo ebikalala: Geraageranya n'olulimi olukozesebwa mu kulambika kw'omulimu
Enteekateeka: Okusoma → Ebikugu → Obumanyirivu bw'emirimu → Ebiyungo
Ekipimpi: Gende ku kwanawa omulundi omuliriri gw'empapula. Ggyawo ekintu kyonna ekitatabagana na busaba bwo
Okunnyonnyola: Kozesa AI CV Checker okulaba ebiriwo ATS gye ginaba gye tuka nga tonnyonyola okusaba

Ekikula eky'okusembwa ky'omugaso nnyo kubanga kijjawo okukola ekirowoozo. Ofuna feedback amangu, mu ngeri eyongerwako, ku ngeri CV yo gy'ekola mu kugerageranya n'ensengeka za ATS, ekukkiriza okukola obujaja obulongoofu oli sooka okusaba.

Okukola CV yo egeegana ne ATS si kya kugoba nnyo ebintu. Kya kuteeka ebibalo byo mu format gye sistema esobola okukozesa n'obusobozi, n'oluvannyuma omukozi omuntu okuba n'omukisa okugeraageranya obusobozi bwo.

— Ori

Applicant Tracking System ye ki?

Ensobi za CV ezikyalira okukemebwa

1. Okukola Formatting Okuzibu

2. Ebirimu Ebitalina Njawulo Mu Busaba Bwonna

3. Format ya Fayiro Etali ya Bwenkanya

4. Ebikulu Bya Bwannannyini Ebizibe

5. Section y'Ebikugu Ezikwekeddwa

Okuwangula CV Yo Oli Sooka Okusaba

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