Fifty-four percent of employers say they intend to hire recent college graduates, marking an increase from 46 percent in 2011, 44 percent in 2010 and 43 percent in 2009, according to a new study from CareerBuilder and CareerRookie.com.
"This is the first time since the recession that we're seeing a majority of employers planning to add recent college graduates to their employee roster," says Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. "Companies across industries are placing a strong emphasis on recruiting fresh talent for technology-related roles and positions designed to drive revenue – and they're willing to pay more for high-skill, educated labor."
Regarding pay, 29 percent of respondents say they plan to offer higher starting salaries than they did in 2011. Although most respondents say they would pay between $30,000 and $40,000, many are willing to offer more than $50,000. The salary figures listed by respondents are less than $30,000 at 20 percent, $30,000 to less than $40,000 at 30 percent, $40,000 to less than $50,000 at 21 percent and $50,000 or higher at 28 percent.
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Respondents also say business majors are most in demand at 39 percent followed by computer and information sciences at 24 percent and engineering at 23 percent. Math and statistics majors as well as health professions and related clinical services are in demand by 13 percent of respondents while communication technologies are being recruited by 12 percent of respondents. Liberal arts and sciences majors are least in demand by respondents at 9 percent.
The jobs respondents are looking to fill by recent college grads are information technology at 25 percent, customer service at 23 percent, sales at 21 percent, finance and accounting at 18 percent, marketing at 17 percent and business development at 17 percent.
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