As a result of the increased quality in applications, there has been a 4% increase to 47%, in the number of graduates who have secured placements with major employers this year.
Sonja Stockton, global head of diversity and emerging talent, AMS, said: "This trend is set to continue – as the process of graduate recruitment becomes more rigorous, universities are required to share more graduate data, more career coaching is provided and candidates become savvier about finding work.
"Employers are therefore reaching the most talented candidates more rapidly by being a lot clearer about their needs, while universities are under increasing pressure from Government to prepare students for the job-seeking process.
"This is a great opportunity for employers to home in on those graduates who are best suited to their business."
AMS said employers wanting to attract the best quality graduates should be explicit about what they're looking for and look beyond academic grades.
Stockton said: "Employers are increasingly looking for qualities that indicate the future ability and agility of graduate, and what the graduate can bring to the company."
She added: "Graduates who display curiosity, self-motivation, those that are innovative thinkers, agile learners, resilient, pragmatic, collaborative, and have the cultural agility to work across time zones and cultures are becoming highly valued."
