Over the course of the week-long NACE21 conference, it became clear that several topics—such as the new normal, professionalism, and career readiness—weighed most heavily on attendees.

Employers report that internship experience is the most influential factor they consider when deciding between two otherwise equally qualified job candidates.

With fewer employers screening job candidates by GPA, it is increasingly important that college graduates demonstrate certain key attributes on their resumes.

Just 56.6% of employers are using GPA to screen college graduates from the Class of 2021 for open positions.

College hiring appears to have rebounded from the fall as employers now expect to hire 7.2% more new graduates from the Class of 2021 than they did from the Class of 2020.

There is a trend toward an erosion in salary differentials among the degree levels, according to results of NACE’s Class of 2019 First-Destination Survey.

Even though the job search environment has undergone substantial shifts over the last five years—accelerated more recently by the COVID-19 pandemic—core aspects are intact.

The likelihood of students becoming paid interns increases if they went to the career center for internship assistance.

Employers were more likely to make changes to their recruiting methods than they were to their recruiting schedule for the 2020-21 academic year.

The percentages of career centers offering virtual career fairs and employers taking part in them has climbed steeply this fall.

Although college hiring has indeed been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, steps employers have taken have allowed them, at least to this point, to blunt its potential full impact.

Employers reported conducting 68 percent of their recruiting in the fall this year, with the remaining 32 percent planned for the spring.

Respondents to the Job Outlook 2020 and the Job Outlook 2019 surveys had a somewhat similar view of the overall college job market, with both rating it as “very good.”

Why do post-graduation employment outcomes differ across universities, even among those of similar selectivity? Russell Weinstein, University of Illinois, explored this and related questions in forthcoming research focused on campus to company proximity. Here, he shares highlights from that research.

It’s no surprise that bachelor’s degree graduates are expected to account for slightly more than 83 percent of Class of 2020 hires.

Employers plan to hire 5.8 percent more new college graduates from the Class of 2020 than they did from the Class of 2019 for positions in the United States.

There are differences by internship status in the ways that students approach the job search and their expectations for their starting salaries.

The job offer rate for the Class of 2019 was strongly tied to internship experience and the pay status of those internships.

Class of 2019 graduating seniors are benefitting from the best job market for new college graduates since 2007.

Industry hiring plans provide more evidence of the strength of the current college job market.

The conversion rates have climbed more than 10 percent for both Class of 2018 interns and co-ops.

Employers are preparing for a robust recruiting season this fall, which is in line with results of recent research that highlight the growing focus on fall recruiting.

Employers amended their fall 2018 hiring projections and now to increase hiring of new college graduates by nearly 11 percent, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2019 Spring Update.

This year’s hiring outlook for interns and co-ops is expected to continue the trend of positive movement seen over the past three years.

More than 28 percent of employers plan to hire Class of 2019 international students, representing a nearly 5 percent gain from last year.

Employers in specific industries are showing high interest in the most in-demand majors from the Class of 2019.

This year, engineering majors have returned to the list of those most in demand at the bachelor’s degree level.

Does an organization’s perception of the job market impact its plans to reassess its hiring needs?  

The ratings that employers have given to the current job market emphasize its strength. 

Employers plan to hire 16.6 percent more new graduates from the Class of 2019 than they did from the Class of 2018 for positions in the United States.

As a rising number of professionals are prioritizing a healthier work-life balance, savvy organizations are valuing employee performance and happiness more than when and where work is done.

While all classes agreed on the most important benefits, there were definite shifts in their order of importance.

Employers report that they will be active on campus this fall hiring college students for internships and co-ops, and new graduates from the Class of 2019 for full-time positions.

The composition of Class of 2018 hires by degree includes more than 80 percent of these new college hires having a bachelor’s degree.

Business schools are seeing a stable recruiting market for M.B.A. and specialized master’s programs compared with the same time period last fall.

Employers plan to hire 1.3 percent fewer graduates from the Class of 2018 for U.S. positions than they did from the Class of 2017.

While hiring for both internships and co-ops is expected to increase this year, the anticipated increases are relatively small.

Continuing a slide that has occurred in recent years, the percentage of employers that will hire international students has hit a new low.

Management consulting and chemical (pharmaceutical) manufacturing are the top-paying industries for Class of 2018 bachelor’s-degree graduates.

Eight of the 10 top majors in demand by employers at the bachelor’s degree level fall in the business category, continuing a shift away from high-tech majors.

The percentage of employers that rate the job market as “very good” has reached a four-year high.

Employers plan to hire 4 percent more new graduates for their U.S. operations from the Class of 2018 than they did from the Class of 2017.

The post-graduation plans from the Class of 2017 resemble those for the pre-recession Class of 2007 more closely than any other class in 10 years.

We are in an era of artificial intelligence. What impact will technology have on jobs? What must industry and academia do to change the world of work?

Employer hiring plans for fall recruiting for the Class of 2018 look very promising, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2017 Spring Update.

Nearly all respondents to NACE’s Job Outlook 2017 Spring Update plan to hire bachelor’s-degree graduates, and more than half expect to hire master’s grads.

The latest hiring outlook for the Class of 2017 shows that employers are holding steady with the original hiring projections they provided last fall.

Demand for graduates at all degree levels has remained remarkably consistent from last year, according to results of NACE’s Job Outlook 2017 survey.

Elon University staff offer a look at how the institution expanded the academic record to capture experiences.

The centrality of higher education credentials in job attainment is at the forefront of the national higher education policy discussion.

Hiring for U.S. openings for Class of 2017 graduates is expected to be relatively flat as employers plan to hire 5.8 percent more new graduates this year.

Even though the hiring projection for new college graduates appears flat, most employers view the job market for college graduates in a positive light.

The percentage of computer science grads employed in a traditional setting dropped even though their median salary climbed. Where did these grads go?

A slight majority of schools reported an increase in on-campus recruiting activity for full-time positions compared with the same time period last spring, according to recent research by the M.B.A. Career Services & Employer Alliance.

Employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2016 Spring Update survey expressed the most interest in hiring engineering, business, computer science, and accounting majors.

Employers expect to hire 5.2 percent more new graduates from the Class of 2016 than they hired from the Class of 2015, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2016 Spring Update report. These current hiring projections are down from the 11 percent increase employers originally reported through the Job Outlook 2016 survey last fall.

Recent research by Richard Detweiler—president of the Great Lakes Colleges Association and founder of the Global Liberal Arts Alliance—makes a direct link between the undergraduate liberal arts experience and success in career and life.

Indications from employers responding to NACE’s Job Outlook 2016 survey combined with recent job market data point to expectations of brisk recruiting activity on college campuses this spring.

The percentage of respondents with plans to hire international students has leveled off somewhat this year, according to NACE’s Job Outlook 2016 survey report. Less than one-third of respondents report plans to hire these particular graduates, down slightly from 34.2 percent in 2015 and 33.8 percent in 2014.

The notion that a college education pays off in the form of much higher wages has also been the justification for having individuals and their families pay more of the costs over time. Yet new graduates in recent years have struggled to get their careers and their adult lives going, no doubt in part due to the lingering effects of a weak job market since the Great Recession.

Do students respond to economic indicators from the general labor market when they choose their field of academic study?

How does major, gender, and internship experience affect college students’ job-search success? NACE takes a closer look at data from its 2014 Student Survey for more in-depth information to help answer that question.

Are today’s college graduates finding employment in jobs appropriate to their educational level or are they increasingly underemployed? This article takes a look at the data to analyze the current level of college graduate “underemployment” and to compare the current situation to previous periods to determine if there is a clear trend developing.

The idea prevails that there is a high unemployment and underemployment for new college graduates. But a closer analysis of the available literature tells a different story.

The recent growth in the number and variety of specialized master’s programs in business schools may be the answer to providing students with opportunities in many competitive industries after graduation. The tool gives students an edge in their career search.

The characteristics, desired employee benefits, preferred industries, and starting salary expectations that advanced degree students hold.