The career perspectives of graduates. Update 2020

Abstract

The expectations final-year students have of their first job are still high. Good communication with their colleagues, a sociable atmosphere and plenty of opportunities for training are at the top of the list. What is more, these millennials prioritise career security over job security. They consider their relationship with their first employer to be temporary, expecting to work for a whole range of different companies during their working life. However, the Covid-19 outbreak has toned down their optimism about the future. Now afraid that fewer jobs will be available to suit their skills and qualifications, they are once again attaching greater importance to job security.

The Centre for Excellence in Strategic Talent Management at Vlerick Business School has conducted its tenth large-scale study of final-year students’ expectations of the employment market and their career. 614 students who were due to graduate in June 2020 took part in the survey, of whom 294 were Masters students and 320 Advanced Masters. The research focuses both on their career plans and on what these ‘millennial’ graduates expect from their first employer. Last but not least, the study also contains important insights for companies hoping to recruit recent graduates.