But it's tough competition. The company wants people to have 2:1 degrees, but it's not an automatic cut-off, 'if [applicants] have a good story tto tell  we are interested in hiring them,' said a spokesperson.

The firm's UK head of graduate recruitment also suggested young people might have to look further afield than the City of London:

'Graduates need to get on their bikes for work this year... There are some fantastic opportunities to work for major global organisations like Ernst & Young, based in towns up and down the country such as Reading and Southampton, which provide the same career development opportunities.'

Supermarket chain Aldi reports that the volume of graduate applications for the group's management scheme, with its attractive £40,000 starting salary rising to £61,000 in three years, is now 12,000 applicants for every 50 places. There's an online form, plus a requirement for a 2:1 degree and evidence of leadership and commitment outside of studies.

"Graduates who stand out from the mix are those that combine academic and non-academic skills and experiences," says Aldi head of graduate recruitment Richard Holloway.

"Leading a local or university sports team, carrying out voluntary or charity work, having a part-time job, or going the extra mile to reach individual potential is favoured over first-class honours."

Even getting an interview depends on a persuasive CV. Aldi advises applicants to provide an informative, succinct and spell-checked account of achievements, qualifications and skills, not spreading beyond two pages.

It even gives the best font to use - Arial 11 point.

For information on graduate employment generally, and the tables for which universities offer the best employment figures, see the Complete University Guide's Graduate Prospect pages. For more on this survey plus students' own experiences of looking for jobs, see the BBC website.