New Grads Find Stiff Competition for First Jobs

MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Employers' entry-level hiring plans are conservative compared to prior years according to MonsterTRAK's annual nationwide survey of college students, graduates and employers. However, findings indicate that 54 percent of companies surveyed still plan to hire 2009 college graduates. MonsterTRAK is the channel of Monster.com, the leading global online career and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), that connects college students and recent graduates with employers looking for qualified entry-level and internship candidates.

Employers Still Hiring

While 71 percent of employers reported a decrease in the total number of planned hires for 2009, those still planning to hire college graduates fell only five percentage points from 2008 (from 59 percent to 54 percent). However, that five point drop is substantially smaller than the 17 percent drop reported by employers last year with respect to graduate hiring plans (from 76 percent in 2007 to 59 percent in 2008). "While the percentage of employers planning to hire college graduates in this year's MonsterTRAK Entry-Level Job Outlook has declined somewhat compared to last year, it is encouraging that over half still plan to hire 2009 graduates," said Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster. "However, because there is more competition for entry-level jobs compared to years prior, graduates should do everything they can to stand out among other job applicants in this challenging labor market environment."

Employers reported that although growth opportunities and job fulfillment/interesting work remain important to graduates, they are, in the current environment, re-emphasizing salary, job title, and benefits/time off. In addition, relevant work experience gained 9 percentage points from last year, while previous work experience grew by 8 percent, indicating that employers are looking for candidates who can hit the ground running. Volunteer work also gained ground as an attractive candidacy attribute, with 7 percent more of the employers surveyed citing it as valuable experience.

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