Graduate Outlook Survey

The Graduate Outlook Survey (GOS) is undertaken annually by Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) as a detailed investigation into graduate recruitment practices and trends in Australia and New Zealand. It investigates graduate intake numbers, recruiters’ perceptions of the calibre of their candidates, and the attributes which they considered most and least desirable in regard to their applicant pool. Current graduate recruitment practices are also examined in detail, including promotional techniques, recruitment through additional channels such as undergraduate programs and employee referrals, and the recruitment of international graduates.

Since the first GOS was run in 2005, participation in the survey has increased nearly sixfold, highlighting the key position this annual survey holds in the graduate recruitment sphere in Australia and New Zealand. This sizable increase in participation may also reflect the interest many employers have regarding the state of graduate recruitment in an economy which in recent times has been subject to a worldwide economic downturn and a very cautious recovery.

Who is it of interest to?

As a survey of practices and trends in graduate recruitment, findings from the GOS are of great interest to businesses and organisations that employ new graduates. Graduates and soon-to-be graduates can use the findings from the GOS to identify what prospective employers are looking for—and what they do not want to see—in their graduate job applicants. Similarly, these findings can assist careers advisors in providing robust advice and guidance to those graduates who are about to take on the often-daunting task of entering the workforce for the first time. 

Where can I see the findings?

A summary snapshot on from the most recent GOS is available for free download, while the full Graduate Outlook report can be purchased from the GCA Bookstore.