Well, there is some great news for the graduating class of 2018! The need for their employment is in a higher demand than their predecessor, class of 2017.
According to a report made by the National Association of College and Employers (NACE) companies are planning to hire 4 percent more new graduates from the class of 2018 than they would have the class of 2017.
"Hiring is really important for a lot of companies, you've got baby boomers moving towards later points of their careers, lots of companies need to find that next kind of great run of talent," says Joe Gonzales, Regional Vice President for Robert Half staffing firm.
Forty-four percent of companies planning to increase hiring, also see company growth, retirements, and the need for entry-level talent as important forces behind their organization's plans.
Many employers seek the technology savvy geniuses that also possess the requisite skills sets. Without a doubt, the newcomers carry a whole lot of knowledge of working social media, and in many cases are more advanced.
"Companies are still growing, the economy is been you know strong, companies are continuing to look for great talent, and in a lot of cases," says Gonzales. "The call and the pull for upcoming talent or people with a lot of potential is really great."
It's safe to say that many companies are thinking longterm and using the drive of the fairly good job market to look beyond their current hires and look more into hiring towards the future of their organizations.
According to the Department of Labor, even the unemployment rate has reached below 4 percent for the first time since 2000.
With these record-breaking numbers, employers aren't afraid to rate the current job market as “very good" as opposed to "excellent."
Employers Rate the Job Market for 2017-18 Graduates (Courtesy: www.naceweb.org)
The 4 percent increase serves as a major home run, but it is lower than the record increase from past years. Some may graduate without an offer in hand. As an expert in the staffing and job field, Gonzales still believes this increase sheds as a sign of hope for new graduates searching for their next work placement.
"There's more jobs than graduates in a lot of cases and so it becomes a very competitive market, but a lot of it just goes back to companies that are really aggressive in their hiring in many situations."
Job Outlook Hiring Projections, 2012 – 2018* (Courtesy: www.naceweb.org)
That's why it is important to get connected early and get ahead of the job search. Exploring different avenues such as continuing studies, programs, or internships can help guide grads into the right workforce. Regardless if they are a 2018 graduate or a 2017 graduate.
Click here to learn more about six common situations that can stall the job and solutions to overcome them.