More college grads getting hired this year

The recovery is not as strong as everyone hoped it would be. Economists have revised their growth forecasts downward for the rest of the year, and remains stubbornly high, with most of the unemployed now out of work for more than six months.

But that does not mean there is no good news for job seekers. On the contrary, signs abound of slow but steady improvement in job prospects. I described one of them in my last blog post. Here's another:

Workforce Development reports this month that graduating college students are getting more job offers at better starting salaries than in the last two years. A number of large employers are on hiring sprees thanks to heavy demand for their products and services; the article notes that the consulting firm Deloitte reported late last year that it would hire 18,000 people this fiscal year and even more in the year ahead, exceeding its pre-recession hiring.

Moreover, the salaries being offered new graduates are more in line with the graduates' expectations, and in some cases better than they expected to get. That's partly because the graduates themselves have adjusted their expectations downward to match today's changed job market realities.

According to the article, geeks and number-crunchers are in particular demand: Students who majored in accounting, computer science, economics and engineering are having an easier time landing work in their chosen careers than other new grads.

And for those who still aren't so fortunate, there is always graduate school, the traditional Plan B for grads facing rough prospects in the job market. In another sign that things are getting better, the number of college grads going straight to grad school has dropped, from more than one-fourth of the total to 18.5 percent. (Psssst: Grad school can also be a viable Plan B for the job seeker who already has a career. Check out the options available in the Education section of PhillyJobs.com.)

All this is good news for the Classes of 2011 and 2012, but is there anything the older alum can take away from this? Yes. It is this: Even in a highly competitive job market, there are areas where opportunities abound. With persistence, just about anyone can create their own.

By Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is a veteran freelance writer, editor and public relations professional who lives in Philadelphia. Besides blogging for PhillyJobs.com, he has written for numerous publications and websites, would be happy to do your resume, and is himself actively seeking career opportunities on Beyond.com. Check out his LinkedIn profile and read his other posts on PhillyJobsBlog.com.