The biannual survey - conducted in November and December 2009 - is based on responses from 214 organisations who between them recruited 19,247 graduates in 2009. It also finds that the overall number of graduate vacancies fell by 8.9% during 2009. While this represents a significant decline, the AGR notes that it is nonetheless much better than the 24.9% drop that had been forecast in its summer 2009 survey.

Looking ahead, graduate vacancy levels are expected to decline by a further 1.6% during 2010.

The AGR believes that this figure "suggest[s] graduate recruitment is emerging from the recession relatively unscathed".

AGR chief executive Carl Gilleard comments that the survey indicates "that the graduate employment market is starting to normalise and to begin the process of recovery". He argues that 2011 will see graduate vacancy numbers register their first increase since 2008.

The latest benchmarking survey of graduate starting salaries from IRS also registers a freeze in the graduate starting salary (subscription required). According to IRS, the median graduate starting salary for 2009/2010 is £24,000 - unchanged from the rate recorded for 2008/2009. This is the first time that the median graduate starting salary has not shown an increase in the 20-year history of this survey.