94% of College Grad job seekers willing to relocate for job opportunities

CollegeGrad.com, the #1 entry level job site, today released its survey results on the willingness of college grads to relocate for their first job. The survey found that 94% of entry level job seekers would be willing to relocate for the right opportunity.

College grads are less concerned about the location of their first job than finding the right first job, says Brian Krueger, president of CollegeGrad.com. They are looking for the best place to start out and are not limiting themselves to where that is.

Within the entry level job market, job seekers look for any edge to place them ahead of their competitors. Flexibility of location can often give them that edge, said Krueger. While employers may or may not offer a relocation package, if job seekers are willing to foot the bill for their own relocation, they are rewarded with expanded opportunities.

Along with the increased willingness of recent grads to relocate comes an increased level of competition for open positions. Student job seekers no longer compete only against fellow graduates, or graduates from other nearby schools. Instead, job seekers now compete against graduates in a national and even international arena.

Of those respondents willing to relocate, 23.9% would only be willing to relocate within their local or statewide area. 40.4% would relocate nationally, and 35.7% would be willing to relocate internationally.

These trends indicate a strong willingness by job seekers to go wherever is needed to land that first job, says Krueger. But a determined job search using proven strategies is still the key to job search success.

Whether the current willingness to relocate in the entry level job market is due to decreased ties, or simply the desire for a fresh start, now is the time for job seekers to get a jump on their job search. CollegeGrad.com has thousands of entry job openings in a wide variety of locations. Kruegerís advice to the Class of 2005? Start early, start now.

Following are the overall survey results:

Are you willing to relocate for the right opportunity?
No ñ 5.9%
Yes, within the local area ñ 11.5%
Yes, within the state ñ 11.0%
Yes, within the country ñ 38.0%
Yes, internationally - 33.6%

The survey was conducted online nationally with more than 1500 participants during January, 2005.