College Grad Job Prospects - A Little Good News

Is there any good news out there for college students who are about to enter the job market? If you read most of the headlines these days, the answer is "no". But if you dig a little deeper, there are some signs of hope.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers tracks hiring trends and their latest report shows some good news. Their most recent poll showed a jump of 10 points in employer expectations for hiring in the next 3 months. Some of that increase is attributed to the fact that even in good times hiring slows over the holiday period and picks up again after the first of the year.

See salary info for the most popular majors.

As you delve deeper into unemployment statistics for younger Americans, the good news for recent college graduates is that the unemployment stats drop significantly when you factor in education. People in their early 20s with a college degree are 3 times more likely to find a job than the same person who does not have a degree.

Many colleges are reporting that an increasing number of employers are again signing up for college career fairs. While this doesn't guarantee that they will be hiring, it is yet another sign that things may be turning around.

I don't want to paint too rosy of a picture here. The reality is that it is a tough job market out there. The number of available jobs and starting salaries have dropped. But, the good news is that there ARE jobs out there, and if you work hard at finding work and keep up on the tips for making yourself stand out, you may not be part of those unemployment statistics.