The Job Outlook for College Graduates

There is good news on the job outlook front for college graduates in 2011. The job market will look more favorably oncollege graduates in the Class of 2011 versus last year's college graduates. So says the annual Job Outlook survey completed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Employer feedback in the NACE annual Job Outlook 2011 Fall Preview survey, shows that employers expect to hire 13.5 % more new college graduates from the Class of 2011 than they hired from the Class of 2010.

Although the four major regions in the United States all projected growth, the employers in the western region of the US projected the biggest percentage increase year over year.

Here are the projected college graduate hire rates from the Job Outlook 2011 Fall Preview survey.

Western region - 23.5%

Midwestern region - 20.2%

Northeast region - 13.1%

Southeast region - 8.3%

It is important to note that even though the hiring percentages are up, the raw numbers in the regions is a way of knowing what the real job outlook might be.

For example, although the west is projecting the largest percentage change, the employers who responded are moving from 1550 actual college hires for 2010 to a projected number of college hires of 1915 for 2011.

However, if you consider the southeast region, which is only projecting a growth of 8.3% in their job outlook survey, that region's raw numbers are moving from 7984 actual college hires for 2010 to a projected number of college hires of 8644 for 2011.

In other words, overall, there are greater numbers of new college graduates being hired in the southeast region.

How should college graduates use this job outlook data?

1. The job outlook data gives insight to where the jobs are emerging. College graduates who want to land a job after graduation, might find more options for employment outside their geographical region. College graduates who consider relocation will always have a brighter job outlook than those college graduates who do not.

2. This job outlook data should reaffirm that there are opportunities for employment and that college graduates must stay positive in the job search.

3. The job outlook data should remind college graduates that the labor market is still very competitive. The college graduates who have prepared academically as well as prepared professionally with good job search documents, like resumes and cover letters and experience through internships, will definitely have the advantage.

Resources:
The HBCUCareer Center - Career planning advice for college students on basics of resume writing, job interviewing, graduate school and job search strategies

Collegegrad.com - Resource every college graduate should bookmark