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Hiring will be classy
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November 15, 2000: 2:40 p.m. ET
Study says employers predict big increase in college hiring
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - If you're graduating from college next year, finding work shouldn't be much of a problem, a new study shows.
Employers are predicting a 23.4 percent increase in college hiring, according to Job Outlook 2001, a survey released Wednesday of employers' hiring intentions for new college graduates.
Employers are expected to make nearly one-fifth, or 19 percent, of their job offers to new college grads, said the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which conducts the annual survey. 
"This year's hiring projections shatter last year's 14.5 percent projected increase," Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director, said in a statement. "Employers are putting a lot of emphasis on college hiring as a way to combat the tight labor market."
Hiring projections are looking strongest in the West, the report said, where employers project college hiring to rise 33.6 percent, but all regions of the country project healthy hiring increases. Employers in the South anticipate a 26.9 percent jump. Northeastern employers forecast a 20.5 percent increase, and companies in the Midwest expect college hiring to rise 17.9 percent.
Some of the other highlights of Job Outlook 2001 are:
- Employers expect starting salaries to increase an average of 5.5 percent.
- Communications skills top the list of personal qualities/skills employers seek in new hires, followed by honesty/integrity, ability to work in a team, interpersonal skills, motivation/initiative and a strong work ethic.
- Employers said on-campus recruiting is the most effective method for recruiting new college students; on average, they expect to conduct 54 percent of their college recruiting in the Fall semester.
- Employers report an average 25.3 percent of their Class of 2000 college hires came from their organization's internship program; 21 percent, on average, came from their organization's cooperative education program.
Tech and business rule, but...
At the bachelor's degree level, the report said, competition will be fiercest for candidates with technology-related and business degrees, but liberal arts majors are also expected to attract their share of attention.
The degrees employers predict will be most in demand are:
- Computer science
- Information sciences and systems
- Accounting
- Management information systems
- Business administration/management
- Electrical engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Computer engineering
- Marketing/marketing management
- Economics/finance
Employers are also looking to plug the gaps in their work forces with international students. The report said 38.6 percent of respondents said they plan to recruit international students for permanent full-time positions within the United States.
Among those planning to hire international students, 82.6 percent said they will seek international students with engineering degrees, while 51.2 percent hope to hire candidates with degrees in the computer sciences fields. Also, 57.6 percent expect to hire international students with business degrees. 
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