Welcome to the workforce: Survey says hiring numbers up for grads

CLASS OF 2015’S MOST HIRABLE MAJORS, LUCRATIVE INDUSTRIES AND SALARY EXPECTATIONS

Class of 2015, things sure do look good for you. In the highest outlook since 2007, 65 percent of employers say they plan to hire recent college graduates this yea r— up from 57 percent last year, according to a new CareerBuilder survey. And the news just keeps getting better: One third of employers will offer higher pay than last year, and 1 in 4 will pay $50,000 or more.

“New college graduates have better prospects this year than in years past – both in terms of opportunities and salary offers,” says Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer of CareerBuilder. “They still face challenges, however. One in five employers feel colleges do not adequately prepare students with crucial workplace competencies, including soft skills and realworld experience that might be gained through things like internships. Job seekers with a good mix of both technical and soft skills will have the best prospects right out of college.”

Top of the class

Demand for students with business and technical majors has typically been high among employers, and this year is no exception, with 38 percent of employers naming business as the most sought-after major. Other in-demand majors include: • Computer and Information Sciences (27 percent) • Engineering (18 percent) • Math and Statistics (14 percent) • Health Professions/Clinical Sciences (14 percent) • Communications Technologies (12 percent) • Engineering Technologies (12 percent) • Communication and Journalism (10 percent) • Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

(9 percent) • Science Technologies (8 percent) • Education (7 percent)

However, those graduates may be expected to bring their education and apply it to a variety of different industries, requiring creative and critical analysis skills from grads. Information technology (30 percent) and customer service jobs (28 percent) top the list of position types hiring managers are primarily looking to fill. Opportunities also abound in finance/accounting (22 percent), sales (21 percent) and business development (19 percent).

Payday prospects

Good news for anybody who’s making plans to move out of their parents’ basement this summer: One third (33 percent) of employers who plan to hire recent college graduates will offer higher starting salaries than they did last year. Nearly half of employers (48 percent) say they will make offers to students before they graduate.