Survey finds new college graduates will have to compete much harder for jobs

The class of 2009 will face the most competitive job market in years, as companies continue to proceed with caution amid economic uncertainty. Forty-three percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, down from 56 percent in 2008 and 79 percent in 2007. This is according to CareerBuilder’s Annual College Job Forecast that was conducted from February 20 to March 11, 2009, among 2,543 hiring managers and human resource professionals.

The economic downturn is also having an impact on entry-level salaries. Among those employers planning to hire recent college graduates, more than one-in-five (21 percent) said they will decrease starting salaries for recent college graduates in 2009 as compared to 2008. An additional 68 percent of employers plan to keep initial salary offers the same as last year and 11 percent will increase them.

Thirty-three percent of employers plan to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between $30,000 and $40,000. An additional 17 percent will offer between $40,000 and $50,000 and 14 percent will offer more than $50,000. Thirty-six percent will offer less than $30,000.

Source: CareerBuilder.com.

Reprinted with permission. © CCH
(Submitted April 2009)

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