Employers are still hiring recent graduates—just more cautiously. Only 21% of the 1,322 employers surveyed rated the current college hiring market as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good,’ which is a dramatic drop from 61% in 2023.
I am a professor of information systems at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business in Philadelphia, and I coauthored this report along with a team of colleagues at the Center for Career Readiness.
Every year, I tell my students in my business analytics class the same thing: “Don’t just apply for a job. Audition for it.”
This advice seems particularly relevant this year. In today’s turbulent economy, companies are still hiring, but they’re doing it a bit more carefully. More places are offering candidates short-term work experiences like internships and co-op programs in order to evaluate them before making them full-time offers.
This is just one of the findings of the 2025 College Hiring Outlook Report. This annual report tracks trends in the job market and offers valuable insights for both job seekers and employers. It is based on a national survey conducted in September 2024, with responses from 1,322 employers spanning all major industries and company sizes, from small firms to large enterprises. The survey looks at employer perspectives on entry-level hiring trends, skills demand, and talent development strategies.
Read the complete Fast Company article: https://www.fastcompany.com/91353582/employers-hiring-college-graduates-cautiously-report
