Based on responses from 201 employers nationwide, the Job Outlook 2010 report is an annual, national forecast of the hiring intentions of employers and examines other issues related to the employment of new college graduates. The report includes hiring projections for the college Class of 2010, including projections by sector and region of the country; information about employers' intentions for Spring 2010 on-campus recruiting, preferred/most effective recruiting methods; qualities of the ideal candidate; and more.

Table of Contents

About the Survey

College Hiring Continues its Decline, Slides 7 Percent

Figure 1: Employers’ hiring projections (Fall 2002 to Fall 2010)
Figure 2: Employers’ hiring projections
Figure 3: Employers reassess their hiring needs: Job Market Gets “Fair” Rating From Employers
Figure 4: Employers‘ overall job market ratings: Spring 2010 On-Campus Recruiting
Figure 5: Employers‘ intentions for on-campus recruiting during spring, by percent of respondents

Analysis by Industry

Figure 6: Total change in hiring, by industry
Figure 7: Spring 2010 recruiting plans, by industry
Figure 8: Employers’ job market ratings, specific to their industries
Figure 9: Employers with plans to increase starting salaries to bachelor’s degree graduates, by industry

Analysis by Region

Northeast
Figure 10: Spring recruiting plans – Northeast
Figure 11: Top five undergraduate majors – Northeast
Midwest
Figure 12: Spring recruiting plans – Midwest
Figure 13: Top five undergraduate majors – Midwest
Southeast
Figure 14: Spring recruiting plans – Southeast
Figure 15: Top five undergraduate majors – Southeast
West
Figure 16: Spring recruiting plans – West
Figure 17: Top five undergraduate majors – West

Who's in Demand?

Figure 18: Top degrees in demand (bachelor’s degree level)
Figure 19: Top degrees in demand (master’s degree level)
Figure 20: Top degrees in demand (doctorate degree level)
Figure 21: Who’s hiring (bachelor’s degree level), by industry
Figure 22: Who’s hiring (bachelor’s degree level), by region
Poor Outlook for International Students
Figure 23: International hiring plans, 2005-2010
Figure 24: International hiring plans, by industry
Figure 25: International hiring plans, by region
Associate Degree Hiring At Five-Year Low
Figure 26: Associate degree hiring, 2005-2010
Figure 27: Associate degree hiring, by industry
Figure 28: Associate degree hiring, by region

How Employers View Candidates

Figure 29: Employers that screen candidates by GPA, by percent of respondents
Figure 30: Employers that screen candidates by GPA, by industry
And the job goes to…
Figure 31: Employers rate the influence of attributes when deciding on two equally qualified candidates
Experience Rocks!
Figure 32: Employers hiring preferences relative to experience, by percent of respondents
Figure 33: Employers’ preference for work experience, by percent of respondents
Key Skills and Qualities for Candidates
Figure 34: Employers rate the importance of candidate skills/qualities
Figure 35: Employers rank the top five candidate skills/qualities
Where Candidates Fall Short
Figure 36: Skills lacking in new college graduates

Compensation

Few Offer Salary Increases for 2009-10 Graduates
Figure 37: Employers with plans to increase starting salaries to bachelor’s degree
graduates
Signing Bonuses
Figure 38: Employers offering signing bonuses
Figure 39: Percent of employers offering signing bonuses to 2009-10 graduates,
by industry
Figure 40: Percent of employers offering signing bonuses to 2009-10 graduates,
by region
Figure 41: Average signing bonuses by major (bachelor’s degree)
Figure 42: Average signing bonuses by major (master’s degree)

Social Networking College Recruiting

Figure 43: Employers’ plans for using social networking web sites as a part of
their recruiting of 2009-10 graduates, by percent of respondents
Manner of Use for Social Networking Web Sites
Figure 44: Manner in which employers will use social networking web sites
Figure 45: Social networking sites to be used in recruiting
Figure 46: Employers’ plans for Twitter

Survey Respondents

Figure 47: Respondents by industry
Figure 48: Respondents by size of department/business unit
Survey Respondents