Bosses demand class act

Many graduates from "non-traditional" backgrounds lack the self confidence and self-presentation skills they need to secure a well-paid job when they leave university, researchers have found.

They are handicapped in the labour market because it is these qualities that most employers look for in interviews, rather than specific job-related skills, according to the interim findings of a graduate employability project at the University of North London.

A survey of student destinations from four London universities found that graduates from minority groups or lower socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom had entered higher education via non-traditional routes, had much more difficulty than their peers in gaining a job.

The research found no evidence of direct discrimination, but most employers were more inclined to recruit white, middle-class graduates who had good A-level grades. Employers told researchers that the key attributes most of these recruits had were self-confidence, good presentation skills and an ability to sell themselves.

In contrast, many students interviewed for the survey focused on their perceived shortcomings rather than on promoting themselves. Students and academic staff agreed that extra-curricular activities, which are often seen as an important source of confidence and character-building, are usually unsuitable for non-traditional students who may have work or family commitments.

Barbara Page, who leads the project, said short work placements seemed to provide students with more chances to develop self-awareness and confidence.