The Graduate Recruitment Handbook · Edition 2026

How the nation's employers hire graduates.

Talentbank's annual study of graduate hiring in Malaysia, built from 1,000+ organisations across 52 sectors. It is written for the people who hire graduates: what employers do, what graduates expect, and where the two meet.

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1,000+ organisations 52 sectors 9 months of fieldwork Free to eligible employers, listed at USD 2,100

Talentbank · Edition 2026

The Graduate Recruitment Handbook

1,000+ organisations · 52 sectors

Listed value USD 2,100

Why It Matters

Know the graduate market before you hire into it.

Graduate hiring does not stand still. What graduates expect, how employers recruit and which universities produce work-ready people all shift from one year to the next.

The Handbook puts it in one place: how organisations across 52 sectors hire, what skills and criteria they weigh, how they use internships, and how graduates see the same market.

Drawn from employersA survey of 1,000+ organisations, gathered over nine months of fieldwork.
Both sides of the tableHow employers hire, and what graduates expect and do when they look for work.
Published every yearAn annual edition, so you are working from the current market.

Two delegates in conversation at a round table during a Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue — A Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue, Sunway University, December 2023.

Who It’s For

Written for the people who hire early talent.

The Handbook is for employers. If hiring graduates is part of your job, it is written for you.

Delegates smiling around a round table at a Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue

HR and talent acquisition

See how other organisations run internships, which skills and criteria they weigh, and what they expect from a new graduate.

A delegate speaking into a microphone in front of a presentation screen at a Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue

Employer branding and marketing

Understand what graduates expect, how they search for jobs and how ready they feel for work, before you plan your next campaign.

A delegate asking a question to a hall of seated guests at a Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue

Leaders and hiring managers

Read 20 practical insights and predictions for 2026, 2027 and 2028, and how industries and universities compare.

What’s Inside

Nine parts. One clear picture.

From the state of the graduate market to how the data was gathered, each part answers a question hiring teams ask.

The Market

The graduate talent market and how the nation's employers hire, in detail.

Starting Salaries

Starting salary bands by organisation type, plus how pay has moved this year.

The Talent

Internships as a pipeline, employer expectations, and AI and the new graduate.

Skills & Criteria

The skills and hiring criteria employers value most when choosing graduates.

Industry Lens

Industry-by-industry data across 10 sectors, from technology to energy.

University Reference

Top 10 public and private universities, readiness, and the Graduate Employability Index.

Graduate Perspective

Graduate expectations, job search behaviour, and career readiness.

Strategic Insights

20 practical insights and predictions for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

The Method

How the data was gathered, who responded, and the contributors behind it.

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A hall of guests seated at round tables, with a presentation on the screen ahead, at a Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue

Hiring is a conversation between employers, universities and graduates. A Talentbank Graduate Recruitment Dialogue, Sunway University, 4 December 2023.

From the Handbook

A few things the data shows.

A small sample of what is inside. The detail behind each figure is in the Handbook.

93.2%of employers run internships

95.8%rate soft skills as essential

52sectors covered

1,000+organisations studied

How It’s Made

Built from what employers told us.

Each edition starts with a survey of employers. Over nine months of fieldwork, we gather responses from 1,000+ organisations across 52 sectors. In the report, answers are aggregated and anonymous.

The last part of the Handbook sets out how the data was gathered, who responded and the contributors behind it, so you can judge it for yourself.

Employers' answers also decide which Malaysian universities earn recognition in the Graduate Employability Index, announced each year at the Employers' Choice Award.

See the Graduate Employability Index →

Guests standing in a line in front of the Graduate Employability Index wall at a Talentbank awards event — Guests at the Graduate Employability Awards, 2026.

Get Your Copy

Two ways in. The same Handbook.

The content is identical either way. Choose the route that suits your organisation.

Free to eligible employers

Redeem free

Complete the employer survey and your copy is free. Your answers also sharpen the next edition.

Around 25 minutes, in short steps of a few questions each
Nine sections, answered honestly and in full
For organisations that have hired fresh graduates in the last 12 months, with a valid corporate email address
Answers are confidential, and aggregated and anonymous in the report
Your copy is sent to your corporate email once your survey is reviewed

Start the Survey →

Or skip the survey

Buy a copy

USD 2,100

An electronic copy with an organisation-wide licence. The same Handbook, with no survey to complete.

The complete Handbook
No survey
Licensed for your whole organisation

Buy a Copy →

Questions

Asked and answered.

What is the Graduate Recruitment Handbook?

Talentbank's annual study of graduate hiring in Malaysia, drawn from 1,000+ organisations across 52 sectors. In nine parts, it covers how employers hire, what they look for and what graduates expect.

Who is it for?

Employers. It is written for HR, talent acquisition and employer branding teams, and for the leaders who decide how graduates are hired. The Handbook is for employers only.

How do I get a free copy?

Complete the employer survey on the redeem page. It takes around 25 minutes, in short steps, across nine sections. Your copy is sent to your corporate email once your survey is reviewed.

Who qualifies for the free copy?

Organisations that have hired fresh graduates in the last 12 months. You complete all nine sections with accurate answers and use a valid corporate email address. Incomplete or inaccurate submissions, and those using personal email addresses, are not eligible.

Can I buy a copy instead?

Yes. An electronic copy with an organisation-wide licence is listed at USD 2,100, with no survey. The content is the same as the free copy. Ask Amira about buying.

What happens to my survey answers?

They are kept confidential and used only for our market research. In the report, answers are aggregated and anonymous, and your company's details are not shared without written consent. See our privacy policy.

Can universities or students get a copy?

No, the Handbook is for employers only. Universities can see where they stand in the Graduate Employability Index, or ask us how it relates to your university.

I have another question.

Ask Amira, our assistant, and she will point you to the right person at Talentbank. Ask about the Handbook.

Hire with the whole market in view.

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