Employers open up to 2:2s

Graduate recruiters are dropping the condition that applicants have at least a 2:1, research has revealed.

The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) has found that though a 2:1 is traditionally the minimum requirement for openings in many major firms, employers are having doubts about its consistency.

One third of the employers asked said they were now asking for a 2:2 or above, as well as relevant skills and experiences.

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the AGR, told The Guardian: "Employers have not abandoned degree classifications overnight, but there is a growing awareness that graduates have other things to offer.

"If you use a hard and fast cut-off at 2:1, you might miss out."

The AGR has also found that the best paid grads are those going into law. Law trainees now earn an average of £36,500, beating even investment bankers who are paid an average starting salary of £35,000.

This means lawyers-to-be earn 50% more than the £24,000 the average graduate is paid, with the most common salary range for employers to offer being £22,001 to £24,000.

The research also had some reassuring findings for graduates. Despite fears that the credit crunch will make it harder to find jobs, the research found that vacancies for graduate level positions are actually growing, with a rise of 11.7% on 2007 figures. Furthermore, 32% of employers expect the number of vacancies to increase in 2009.

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