Graduate programmes typically open applications many months before start dates, attract very large numbers of applicants and run in cycles tied to the academic year. Candidates have limited work history, so assessment leans on online tests, situational judgement tests, video or voice interviews, assessment centres and evidence from part-time jobs, societies and projects. Many employers also run internships that feed into graduate offers.
With thin CVs and many similar applications, graduate screening is especially prone to proxies such as university name, which can narrow the pool without predicting performance. Focusing on skills and potential, asking every applicant the same structured questions and reviewing pass rates by group at each stage gives a fairer read. Keeping candidates informed matters too, since early-careers applicants often share their experience widely.