By Michelle Boyde

Today, The Times reports that the Big Four are recruiting 3,850 graduates in the UK this year. This is an increase of more than 20 per cent on 2009 and surely good news for the UK’s graduates. However, it seems that too much of the UK are lured by the lights of London. PricewaterhouseCoopers reports that 70 per cent of their applicants apply for jobs in the City, making it tougher to fill vacancies in other offices.

This is not only the case with graduates. Some BBC employees have been reported to be unhappy as they are required to relocate to Salford Quays in Manchester, to continue their jobs outside the capital.

However, invention and ideas are rife outside London. In today’s FT, a report from the British Library, home of the national patents collection, reports that north-east generated more patents per person per pound of investment than any other region.

Geographical location will continue to be an important factor when choosing a job. Firms need to build their employer brands to encompass how attractive locations outside of the south-east can really be.

by Anne Margrethe Mannerfelt

We are all feeling it – 2009, the year when employer branding strategies, activities and priorities are evaluated closely. With smaller budgets, many employers have had to evaluate how and where they spend their money. Are we doing the right thing, are we reaching out to the right target group? The demands for return of investment on marketing activities are higher than ever before. Read the rest of this entry »