CollegeGrad.com Names Top 500 Entry Level Employers for 2008

As college graduation ceremonies commence nationwide, CollegeGrad.com, the #1 Entry Level Job Site, announces the Top 500 Entry Level Employers for 2008. Great news for the Class of 2008--entry level employers are increasing their hiring by 12.9% in 2008. This is the largest projected increase in entry level hiring CollegeGrad.com has seen since 2005.

The Top Entry Level Employers list represents more than 175,000 jobs for the class of 2008, and is available online at www.CollegeGrad.com/topemployers. Listings of Top Master's Employers and Top Intern Employers are also included.

The Top Entry Level Employers list details the 2008 entry level hiring plans for employers nationwide and includes links to the home page, careers page and college page for each employer. Each employer page also details projections for intern hires and master's level hires for the 2008 recruiting year.

Among the 2008 Top Entry Level Employers listed by CollegeGrad.com, 62% anticipate hiring more college grads in 2008 than 2007. 20% will hire the same number and 18% will be hiring fewer college grads than in 2007. At the top of the list, Enterprise Rent-A-Car plans to hire 8500 new grads, while the smallest featured employers will hire as few as 10. But large or small, the good news is they are all enthusiastically hiring the Class of 2008.

The positive job outlook for college grads is also reflected in higher entry level job seeker confidence levels than in previous years. CollegeGrad.com recently asked seniors in the midst of their job search when they expected to accept their post-graduation job. 26% of respondents expected to have a job offer in hand by graduation, compared to just 24% in 2007.

Lee Svete, Career Center Director at the University of Notre Dame explains, Even with economic trends showing a down turn in the stock market, and a potential recession on the horizon, college recruiting remains stable. Corporations throughout the world are finding a huge talent shortage in the years to come as technical and business talent exit the workforce in the thousands.

What is the main challenge college grads face in their 2008 entry level job search? Employers suggest it is the ability for new hires to perform in a global economy.

Globalization continues to transform the business landscape, said Blane Ruschak, National Director of University Relations and Recruiting for KPMG. This has led to an increased hiring emphasis on college graduates that possess or have the ability to acquire global skills and competencies. Having professionals with international experience gives us a competitive advantage because clients increasingly are looking for advisors who can offer global perspectives.

In the midst of an increasingly global economy and with an unprecedented percentage of professionals reaching retirement age, employers look to college grads to breathe new ideas, bring expanded skills, and provide fresh perspectives to their companies.

CollegeGrad.com reminds college grads that although the 2008 job outlook is favorable, a successful job search requires a concerted and focused effort. And with more entry level career information provided to college students and recent grads than available at any other site, CollegeGrad.com is a great place to conduct your search.

The Top Entry Level Employers list was generated while conducting the 2008 Top Entry Level Employers survey. Respondents provided entry level, master's, and intern hiring projections for 2008. Respondents also broke down projected hires by major and ranked criteria in order of importance for hiring consideration. A full copy of the survey is available at: