Employers are gearing up to take on new college graduates this summer, and for the right candidate with the right background, that first job could be a real launchpad.

CareerBuilder used data from a Harris poll of more than 2,000 hiring professionals to prepare a report on the prospects for the Class of 2015. It appears to be a very good year for those leaving the campus and entering the workforce.

Of those surveyed, 65 percent said they plan to add recent grads to their workforce this year. That's up from 57 percent last year, which was considered a very good year for hiring new grads. Plus, one third will offer higher pay than last year, and 1 in 4 will pay $50,000 or more.

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For those with business, computer science and engineering-related degrees, prospects are particularly bright. Nearly one in four said they were looking for those with degrees in business, while 30 percent are after those with engineering backgrounds and 27 percent seek new computer and information science graduates.

"New college graduates have better prospects this year than in years past – both in terms of opportunities and salary offers," said 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 real-world 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."

Let's take a look at who is in demand:

  • Business grads: 38 percent

  • Engineering/engineering technologies: 30 percent

  • Computer and information sciences: 27 percent

  • Math and statistics: 14 percent

  • Health professions and related clinical sciences: 14 percent

  • Communications technologies: 12 percent

  • Communication and journalism: 10 percent

  • Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities: 9 percent

  • Science technologies: 8 percent

  • Education: 7 percent

By type of job, as compared to one's college degree, CareerBuilder says employers want to fill positions in information technology (30 percent), customer service jobs (28 percent), finance/accounting (22 percent), sales (21 percent) and business development (19 percent).

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Dan Cook

Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.