Research from Milkround - a graduate jobs board site - has found that 83 per cent of graduates feel that there is a bias by employers towards alumni from Russell Group universities.

Between 29 April and 6 May 2019, Milkround asked the opinion of 7,000 graduates with further research on 1,500 recent graduates then being conducted between 11 August and 13 August 2019.

According to the recruiter, Milkround, those surveyed stated that graduates of Russell Group universities - which are considered to be the best 24 in the UK - are more likely to find work soon after graduating.

Four fifths of those graduating from Russell Group universities found full-time employment within just weeks of leaving, whilst only two thirds of those from the rest managed to do so. Of the graduates from Russell Group universities, 22 per cent reported failure to obtain employment, whilst this number increased to 30 per cent for non-Russell-Group graduates.

In addition, almost 44 per cent of those who have attended a non-Russell Group university reported having to make frequent financial sacrifices. According to the Department for Education, those attending Russell Group universities are much more likely to earn a higher salary than those who do not attend these institutions.

More than two-fifths of graduates are suggesting that employers should practice blind recruitment, the object being to create a diverse workforce and 24 per cent of this group is also calling for all prerequisites to be removed from the recruiting process - such as which university they had attended.

Another improvement in the recruiting process - recommended by 15 per cent of graduates - was offering more opportunities to candidates in disadvantaged areas; 12 per cent stated that candidates should be supported with travel costs to attend interviews and 8 per cent suggested that employers could help graduates to find affordable accommodation in close proximity to their new job.

Georgina Brazier - graduate jobs expert at Milkround - said:

“Most graduates are left with the same level of debt or student loans (and same tuition fees) regardless of what university they attended. The investment students make to attend university and gain their degree is substantial and whilst academic success should be applauded, some graduates feel the return on investment when entering the workplace should be fairer. There’s no doubt that Russell Group graduates make for excellent employees but it’s integral that companies do not rule out the chance to recruit fantastic grads from other universities.

Blind recruitment is necessary if businesses want to attract talent from the widest talent pool possible, with an excitingly diverse set of skills and intellects, rather than blocking perfectly good candidates because of their university or socio-economic background. It’s something that can be implemented quickly and simply for most companies. Moreover, many companies have made huge strides in increasing diversity in their recruitment and change is on the horizon.

The best way to help graduates believe that firms can offer them a future whatever their background, is to break down communication with students and have face-to-face conversations by visiting universities around the country. This dialogue is key to easing the anxiety graduates may encounter before applying for jobs, plus encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply to firms they may have previously viewed as having a challenging entry point.”

Milkround infers that promising candidates are filtered out from those social and economic backgrounds less represented at the top universities but who also may be far more suitable and ready for work.