This is the term that is used to describe companies which visit universities and other institutions of higher education in order to recruit students who are usually in their final year of study for graduate employment within their companies.

It is individual universities which will organise careers fairs, usually in the Autumn and Summer terms, and invite a selection of companies to visit. Larger companies which tend to visit universities in search of potential graduate employers include large retailers like Tesco and Lidl, Marks and Spencer and Argos; accountancy firms like Deloitte and KPMG, engineering companies such as Cummins and food groups like Kraft and Brakes, plus design companies, marketing and advertising firms and business consulting companies.

It is noticeable that the job market seems to be improving from 5 or 6 years ago when the recession was hitting everybody, including graduate employment. But most universities are reporting more companies visiting their graduate careers fairs today than in previous recent years. The only exception is within the area of public sector graduate jobs where government spending cuts, at both national and local levels, have scaled down public services and significantly reduced employment within this sector.