Graduate Program or Graduate Job? What’s the difference?
Graduate opportunities in Australia are typically advertised February to April for positions starting the following year.
Before the season begins, we're keen to answer a common question we hear all the time from students ‘What is the difference between a graduate program and a graduate job?’
Graduate Programs
These opportunities differ from company to company but are usually very structured and focussed on training and development. You will rotate around different areas of the company over a fixed term of anywhere between 1 and 3 years. The rotation approach means you’ll get the chance to try out different parts of the business and identify those you’re most interested in. This approach is common with the large organisations with a big appetite for graduates. If you are hired into this type of company, you may find you are 1 of 100 graduates starting on the same day.
Why we like them
Companies operate graduate programs to meet their need for an ongoing pipeline of talent and to fulfil their needs for future leaders. A lot of work, and money, is invested in providing a graduate program on such a large scale. The support is usually pretty good too. According to the 2017 Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) annual survey, 85% of organisations surveyed provided a buddy while 78% matched new graduates with a mentor.
Important to know
These opportunities usually attract a lot of attention, and therefore a lot of applicants. Therefore, highly competitive, you should know that they only provide enough opportunities for around 30% of graduates so don’t put all your application efforts into this one area exclusively.
Graduate Jobs
These are entry level roles requiring a specific degree, skillset and knowledge. Not necessarily exclusive to only small to medium sized companies, a graduate job is for a specific role in a specific area so, if you have a clear job goal in mind, this will appeal.
Graduate job opportunities are available all year round so you are not locked into an annual application deadline. As with a graduate program, you are likely to have access to professional development opportunities to help you upskill.
Why we like them
In comparison with many graduate programs, a graduate job is permanent employment where you will start in the job right away and remain until you resign. Unlike a graduate program, at the point of the job offer, there’s usually a little room for negotiation on the salary.
Important to know
All graduate applications are competitive but graduate jobs don’t get the same exposure as graduate programs so are potentially less competitive. In addition, you will be pleased to hear that the recruitment process is usually less laborious than that of a graduate program so is quicker from application to outcome.
Whichever option appeals most to you, my advice is keep your options open and apply for a range of different opportunities. To do this well, it’s essential to have your job search strategy mapped out. A good place to begin is with the ‘Planning your job search strategy’ online module available in Career Kickstarter.