Employers Seek College Grads Fresh out of School

 Are companies hiring the newest graduating class, or aren’t they?  A recent survey from CareerBuilder suggests that recent college grads should try to stay optimistic.  Recruiters might see if this thread of possibility holds strong this spring and summer.

According to CareerBuilder, forty-six percent of employers said they plan to hire recent college graduates in 2011, up from 44 percent in 2010 and 43 percent in 2009.  Of those who plan to hire recent college graduates, 26 percent reported they will offer higher starting salaries than they did in 2010, an improvement from 16 percent who said the same in last year’s survey and 11 percent in 2009.

“Employers are more optimistic overall, and as a result, are looking to bring in entry-level workers to build their workforce for the future,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “Companies are adding jobs in a variety of areas and need fresh, educated talent to fill those roles. Our survey found that they will recruit college grads primarily for IT, customer service, sales, finance, accounting and marketing jobs this year.”

While schools are quick to cut budgets for arts in education, in the end, it seems that the skills that employers look for are all about self-expression.  The most important skill that employers look for in candidates is their ability to communicate well.  In some jobs, it’s particularly important that workers are able to write well, but people with strong verbal communication are sought after as well.