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 write a speculative application that gets replies. Pick the right firms, email the right person, tailor your CV and follow up with confidence.

Speculative Application: Get Hired With No Job Advert

Most job searches start with a job board. A speculative application starts with a firm you want to work for. You write to them before a role is posted. You ask for a chat, not a favour.

This guide shows you how to do it well. You will see who to contact, what to write and when to chase. You need no experience to start. You just need a clear plan.

TL;DR

Target ten firms you really want, not a hundred random ones.
Write to a named person on a named team.
Keep the email under 200 words and attach a one-page CV.
Follow up once after ten working days, then move on.

What Is a Speculative Application?

A speculative application is a message to a firm that has not advertised a role. You send a short email and your CV. You explain the work you want and why you fit.

People also call it an on-spec application, a cold approach or a direct approach. It works best in small firms, charities, media, design and tech. Big graduate schemes rarely need it. They run on fixed calendars.

Why Send One at All?

Three reasons. First, you skip the queue. Second, you reach a team before the post goes live. Third, you show drive. Many hiring managers value drive more than a perfect CV.

The catch is effort. A good speculative note takes about thirty minutes. That is why you send ten, not two hundred. Quality beats volume here.

Step 1: Pick Firms, Not Job Ads

Start with a list of ten firms. Use three filters. The work interests you, the firm hires people like you, and you can name a team you want to join.

Where to find good targets

Companies you already use or admire.
Firms that hired someone from your course last year.
Small firms in your city that keep growing.
Charities and social enterprises with a clear mission.
Suppliers and partners of a firm you already know.

Skip these for now

Firms with a live, open graduate scheme.
Companies with no public email address.
Giant firms that only hire through a portal.

Research Before You Write a Word

Ten minutes of reading saves a wasted email. Look for one real hook. A new office, a product launch, a project in the news. A hook shows you did the work.

What to find	Where to look	Why it matters
The team you want.	The firm's site and LinkedIn page.	It gives your email a clear target.
A recent project or launch.	News pages and the firm's blog.	It proves you did real reading.
The right person's name.	LinkedIn search by job title.	Named emails get more replies.
The firm's tone of voice.	Their posts and job ads.	You can match how they write.

Never guess an address and blast it out. Find the person first. If you cannot, write to the general inbox and ask for the right name.

How to Write a Speculative Application Email

Keep it short. A hiring manager reads it on a phone. Four short paragraphs is plenty.

Paragraph 1: say who you are

One line on your course, your year and the role you want. For example: "I finish a marketing degree in June and want to start in content."

Paragraph 2: show you know them

Name something specific. A campaign, a product, a report. Say why it caught your eye. Two sentences at most.

Paragraph 3: give one piece of proof

Pick one result. A project, a placement, a portfolio, a society you ran. Keep it concrete. Link to your work if you can.

Paragraph 4: ask for a small step

Do not ask for a job. Ask for fifteen minutes. Or ask if they will keep your CV on file. Small asks are easy to say yes to.

Close with your name, your phone number and a link to your CV or portfolio. Attach the CV as a single file. Put your name and the role in the file name.

Tailor Your CV in Ten Minutes

Do not rewrite the whole CV. Make four quick changes.

Swap the profile line for one aimed at that firm.
Move your most relevant project to the top.
Cut anything that does not support the role.
Use the firm's own words for skills and tools.

A tailored CV shows respect for their time. It also beats a generic CV sent to forty firms.

Follow Up Once, Then Let Go

Wait ten working days. Reply in the same email thread. Keep it to three lines. Say you are still keen and ask if they need anything else.

If there is no reply after that, stop. Silence is an answer. Add the firm to a list and try again in six months. People change jobs, and timing matters.

For wording that works, read our guide to following up after a job application.

Common Speculative Application Mistakes

Mistake	Why it hurts	Better move
Sending one email to fifty firms.	Readers spot it in one line.	Write five good emails a week.
Asking for a job in line one.	It reads as a demand.	Ask for a short chat instead.
Writing 600 words.	It gets skimmed or skipped.	Cut it to 200 words.
No proof of skill.	Goodwill fades fast.	Add one project or result.
Chasing every three days.	It feels like pressure.	Follow up once, then wait.

How It Fits Your Wider Job Search

Do not drop your normal applications. Run both tracks. Spend four days a week on adverts and one day on direct approaches.

Direct approaches reach roles that never get posted. Our guide to the hidden job market explains why that gap exists.

Your profile line matters here too. Read how to write a CV personal statement that fits the firm.

Your Next Step

Pick three firms today. Write one email. Send it before Friday.

Need a CV that is ready to send? Build one in minutes with the Padgrad CV builder. Want a quick review first? Run your CV through the CV checker and fix the weak spots.

Create a free Padgrad account to save your CVs, track every application and get matched to graduate roles across the UK, Kenya, Uganda and the Philippines.

By Ori