It’s almost time to close the books on another year. 2013 brought both with it both good and bad news for college graduates. The good news: the recession is over and hiring of graduates is on the upswing. The bad news: the upswing is happening more slowly than students (or their parents who may still be supporting them) would prefer.
For those who expect to graduate in 2014, there is some good news on the horizon out from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. A recent survey from the Association said employers expect to hire 12 percent more grads in 2014 in than they hired in 2013, when totaling the expected percent of hires for both their US and international operations. The increase in the percent of hires for their US-based operations alone is forecasted at 7.8 percent.
Employers surveyed said they are looking to hire graduates in a range of fields including business, computer information and computer science, communications, engineering and liberal arts.
More specifically, here is a laundry list of the things that employers are looking for in their new recruits:
- A GPA of at least 3.0 (although a GPA of above 3.5 will make you more competitive)
- Ability to work in a team
- Problem solving skills
- Organization skills
- Ability to prioritize tasks
(Hint: these are also good attributes to tout on your resume and have your references talk about in regard to you when they call).
Whether you will be graduating in 2014 or 2018, it’s never too early to start considering your options for after graduation. Be sure to use all of the services at your disposal while still in school, namely counseling and career services offices on campus. You’ll find everything from resume and cover writing help, to lists of job and internship openings at your campus career center.
And speaking of jobs and internships, it’s also never too early to get experiencing in your field of interest through jobs or internships. In addition to helping you decide if it’s the right career path for you, it’s also a great resume builder.
If you’re graduating in 2014, make sure you are one of the 12 percent who is hired right out of college. It all starts with what you do now.
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