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 get promoted in your first graduate job in 2026. See what managers reward, how fast promotions happen and the words to use when you ask for one.

How to Get Promoted in Your First Graduate Job in 2026

TL;DR

Promotions rarely arrive on their own. You have to build a case and ask.
Managers reward three things: reliable delivery, visible results and trust.
At the largest firms in the UK and US, staff wait about 30 months for one step up.
Keep a record of your wins each week. It is the evidence you need later.

What Promotion Means in Your First Job

A promotion is a move to a higher level of work. It usually brings more scope and more pay. It can also mean a new job title on the same team.

In your first job, the goal is small and clear. Show that you can handle more than the basic tasks. Then make sure the right people know it.

Do not wait for a yearly review to think about this. The first 18 months set the pattern. People who move fast start early and keep a steady record.

Some graduates think hard work alone is enough. It is not. You also need proof and a clear ask.

How to Get Promoted: Four Habits That Get You Noticed

You cannot control the budget or the job market. You can control how you work and how others see you.

1. Deliver What You Were Hired to Do

Start with the basics. Hand work in on time. Answer messages within a working day. Keep every promise you make.

Reliability builds trust. Trust is the base of every promotion case. A manager will not hand you a bigger role if small tasks slip.

2. Keep a Record of Your Wins

Keep a simple file of what you did and what changed. Add numbers where you can. "Cut report time from six hours to two" beats "improved a report".

Do this every week. It takes five minutes. It also helps when you update your CV or prepare for a job interview later.

3. Build Support Around You

Do good work for people outside your team. Offer to help on a project. Say thank you and share the credit.

Promotion decisions often involve more than one manager. People who speak well of you in that room matter. Our guide to career goals for graduates shows how to plan this early.

4. Ask at the Right Time

Ask when the team is doing well, not when it is under pressure. Ask after a clear win. Ask in a planned chat, not in a corridor.

Also ask what the next level needs. A vague "I want more" gives your manager nothing to act on. A clear list of skills and gaps gives them a plan.

How Fast Do Promotions Happen? What the Data Says

Data helps you set a fair expectation. Be patient, but do not wait forever.

A study by StandOut CV looked at the careers of 19,363 people on LinkedIn. All of them worked at 20 of the largest firms in the UK and US. The study found an average wait of 30.4 months for a promotion. It also found that 43.1% of staff had been promoted from inside their company.

Wait times varied a lot by level and sector. The table below uses the study's own figures.

Group or sector	Average wait for promotion
Interns	8.7 months.
Vice presidents	22.1 months.
Tech firms	24.9 months.
Pharmaceutical firms	31.4 months.
Oil and gas firms	52.8 months.

The pattern is clear. People at the start of a career move faster. Each step after that takes longer. That is good news for new graduates.

The figures above cover large UK and US firms. In Kenya, Uganda and the Philippines, the picture depends more on firm size. Small firms often have flat teams, so titles change slowly. But your duties can grow fast. Ask for the title once your work already sits at the next level.

Why Some Graduates Get Passed Over

They do the work but never record it.
They wait to be noticed instead of asking.
They make the case with feelings rather than facts.
They complain about tasks instead of fixing them.
They ignore the dull parts of the job.

None of these are fatal. Each one is fixable within a month.

How to Ask for a Promotion: A Short Script

Book 20 minutes with your manager. Be direct and calm. Here is a structure you can use.

Say what you enjoy and what you have delivered.
Point to two or three results, with numbers.
Say which level you want next, and why now.
Ask what would need to be true for that to happen.
Agree a date to review it together.

Then send a short follow-up email. List what you agreed. This keeps the plan alive and gives you a record of it.

If the answer is no, ask for the reason. A clear reason tells you what to fix. It also tells you when to look elsewhere. Our post on how long to stay in your first job covers that choice.

Use Your CV to Prove You Are Ready

Your CV should grow as fast as your job does. Add each new duty and each new result. Keep it short and clear.

Internal promotions run on your track record, not your CV. But the same record feeds both. If your firm has no path up, your CV is your next step.

Run your CV through our free CV checker. It finds the gaps managers spot first. Then build a tighter version in the CV builder.

Plan your week so the visible work still gets done. Our guide to time management in your first job covers the basics.

The Bottom Line

A promotion is a case you build, not a prize that arrives. Deliver the basics, record your wins, build support and ask with evidence. Then keep your CV ready in case the answer is no.

Sign up to Padgrad for a daily digest of graduate roles. You get matched jobs in your inbox and you can apply in minutes.

By Ori