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 media jobs pay less than other sectors, but the work is creative and growing. See 2026 roles, salaries and entry routes, then check your CV on Padgrad.

Graduate Media Jobs 2026: Roles, Pay and How to Start

Graduate media jobs cover film, television, radio, publishing, games and digital news. The work is creative. The pay at the start is often low. The sector is also growing, and it needs people who can write, edit, film and publish every day.

TL;DR

Most graduate media jobs start at assistant or runner level.
Media had the lowest average starting salary in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers. High Fliers puts it at £28,800.
United Kingdom media revenue was about £100 billion in 2024. PwC expects £121 billion by 2028.
Proof of work beats grades here. Build a portfolio before you apply.

What are graduate media jobs?

Graduate media jobs are entry roles in companies that make and share content. That content can be a news story, a podcast, a video game or a novel. The firms range from tiny studios to huge broadcasters.

Most of these roles sit behind the camera or the screen. You might check facts, book guests, cut audio, or plan a shoot. Few people walk straight into a presenting job. Almost everyone starts by learning the trade from the ground up.

The media job market in 2026

The sector is large and it is changing fast. Here is the data that matters for graduates.

Market	Source and year	Finding
United Kingdom	PwC Global Entertainment and Media Outlook, 2024 to 2028	United Kingdom media revenue was about £100 billion in 2024 and may reach £121 billion by 2028.
United Kingdom	ReportLinker Research, 2023	Over 313,000 people worked in United Kingdom media and entertainment.
United Kingdom	ScreenSkills and 4Skills, 2025	Nearly 200,000 people work in United Kingdom film and TV production.
United Kingdom	Statista, 2024	Around 345,000 people worked as freelancers in art, literary and media fields.
United Kingdom	High Fliers, The Graduate Market in 2026	Media offered the lowest average starting salary of the Top 100 firms, at £28,800.

What the data means for you

Two things stand out. First, media pay starts below most other sectors. Second, the number of jobs is high. Hundreds of thousands of people work in this field in the United Kingdom alone.

Freelance work is normal. Many graduates move between short contracts before they win a permanent role. Plan for that. Keep a small cash buffer, and keep every credit you earn on screen.

Media markets beyond the United Kingdom

The same pattern shows up in other markets. In Kenya, Nation Media Group and Royal Media Services in Nairobi hire reporters, producers and digital staff. In Uganda, Vision Group in Kampala runs TV, radio and print titles. In the Philippines, ABS-CBN and GMA Network in Manila recruit for news, entertainment and digital teams.

Pay and job titles differ by country. Always check local job boards for the current rate before you name a number in an interview.

Entry-level media roles

Most graduate media jobs begin at assistant level. These roles teach you how a real production works.

Editorial assistant. You check copy, chase writers and keep a desk on schedule.
Runner. You support a TV or film crew on set and learn every department.
Media researcher. You find facts, guests and archive clips for a show.
Radio broadcast assistant. You book guests and edit audio.
Production coordinator. You track budgets, dates and crew lists.
Social media assistant. You write posts and reply to comments.

What do graduate media jobs pay in 2026?

Pay in media is uneven. Staff jobs are steady but modest. Freelance and creative roles can pay far more, or far less.

Role	Typical pay	Source and year
Editorial assistant in publishing	£26,500 a year.	Prospects, 2026
Proofreader	At least £29.85 an hour.	Prospects, 2026
Copy editor	At least £34.70 an hour.	Prospects, 2026
Publishing rights manager	£25,000 to £35,000 a year.	Prospects, 2026
Film director	£40,000 to £10 million per film.	Production Hive, cited by Prospects, 2026
Cinematographer or director of photography	£40,000 to £300,000 a year.	Production Hive, cited by Prospects, 2026
Screenwriter	£25,000 to £1 million per script.	Production Hive, cited by Prospects, 2026
Producer	£30,000 to £1 million per project.	Production Hive, cited by Prospects, 2026

Treat the top figures as rare outcomes. A film director does not earn £10 million on a first job. Use the lower end of each range when you plan your budget.

How to get a graduate media job

Step 1: Build proof of work

Employers want to see real output. Write for a student paper. Start a podcast. Edit a short film. Publish a newsletter. Virtual work experience helps too, so read our guide to virtual work experience for graduates. Paid internships are the strongest route of all, and the guide to graduate internships explains how to land one.

Step 2: Target the right entry routes

Some employers run structured schemes. Hachette runs a 12-month traineeship and offered 14 places in 2026. The Publishers Association launched a Level 4 Publishing Professional Apprenticeship. That programme lasts 15 months. It replaced the Level 3 Publishing Assistant Apprenticeship. Channel 4 and ITV also hire runners and researchers on short contracts.

Step 3: Keep your profiles clean

Recruiters check public profiles before they reply. Our guide to social media screening shows how to tidy yours in one afternoon.

Skills employers look for in graduate media jobs

Media recruiters care about evidence, not job titles. Build these six skills and show each one.

Clear, fast writing.
Editing to a deadline.
Basic video and audio work.
Curiosity about audiences and data.
Tools such as Adobe Premiere, Canva or a CMS.
Resilience and a wide network.

The Bottom Line

Media pay is modest at the start. The trade is real experience, a portfolio and a network. Pick two roles you can prove you can do. Build samples for both. Then apply to ten targets with care, not a hundred at speed.

Before you send anything, run your CV through the free CV checker on Padgrad. Then tune it for each role with the CV builder. Both tools help you show proof of work, which is what media employers really read.

By Ori