As they enter the working world, 2005 college graduates are finding corporate recruiters more eager to hire and at higher salaries than in recent years. A recent study shows that companies anticipate hiring 13 percent more graduates than in 2004, with the most positive outlook in the service and manufacturing sectors. By region, the Midwest is expected to offer the most opportunity, followed by the West and Northeast. Average starting salaries are on the increase, particularly in accounting, business administration/management, economics/finance, engineering, marketing, and software design and development.*
This was welcome news for the 100 or so students who attended the annual Ayers’ College Day Seminar on May 31. This highly interactive, full-day program helps students prepare for the realities of a competitive job market by providing job-search tools, strategies, and market insight. Developed and presented by a team from the firm’s Career Transition practice, led by Shelli Kanet and Jim Shattuck, College Day was hosted by UBS for a third year.
The Ayers Group offers College Day on a pro bono basis for students nominated by members of its client firms and other constituencies. The program featured hands-on sessions devoted to market research, resumé and cover letter writing, networking, interviewing, and post-interview follow-up. HR, recruitment, and other executives from American Express, Fairchild Publications, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Time Inc., UBS, and Vault, Inc. participated in a college-recruiting panel discussion designed to provide the potential employer’s perspective.
The program drew kudos from attendees. A college senior credited his success in securing a part-time job to techniques learned during last year’s College Day seminar. The student indicated that because he was prepared for the interviewer’s question, "What do you consider to be your main weakness?" he made a strong impression.
Another attendee commented, "The panel was an especially good way to indicate how job searchers are received and what applicants can do to better their chances of getting hired." A third attendee found the workbook to be so helpful she shared it with her mother, who is looking for a position. One student summed up the overall reaction: "This seminar made me feel a lot better about the job search process."
* National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Salary Survey, Spring Quarter 2005, www.naceweb.org
