Which college grads have improved job prospects?

(MoneyWatch) Good news, recent college graduates: Rising employer demand for people with a bachelor's degree in areas such as marketing, finance, human resources and advertising is expected to boost hiring for new grads by 5 percent in the next year.

At the same time, majors that have generated stronger employer demand in recent years, such as engineering and computer science, are expected to see weaker growth. So predicts Michigan State University's Collegiate Employment Research Institute in its most recent annual report on recruiting trends.

The big surprise is this year's survey of nearly 4,300 employers from across the country was the strong demand for graduates with two-year, or associate, degrees -- that's up more than 30 percent. Favored degrees in this category include applied engineering, healthcare technology, business and computer science. The findings mirrors other research that suggests associate degrees have been outpacing four-year degrees in job growth for the past several months.

By contrast, the report brings less cheery news for newly minted MBAs. After three years of employment growth for people with advanced business degrees, total MBA positions are estimated to decline six percent over the next year. The shrinking job market for MBAs comes at a time when more Americans are earning these degrees. MBA grad from top business school programs can still expect to find good opportunities, according to the institute, but those with little professional experience may have more difficulty finding a position.

Despite the projected uptick in hiring in certain fields, employers generally remain caution in their hiring plan. The report authors attribute that to concerns about the potential impact of the European financial crisis and the looming "fiscal cliff" in Washington on the U.S. economy, as well as earlier uncertainty about the outcome of this year's presidential election.

One of best things new grads can do to help their job hunt? Be realistic. The "most troubling aspect of this year's report is the consistent and damning rhetoric from employers that students' sense of entitlement, expectations and level of preparedness is totally out of sync with the reality of the workplace," said Phil Gardner, director of the Employment Research Institute. "These bachelor's degree students who graduate this year entered college at the onset of the recession and have had plenty of time to be coached about their expectations, encouraged to engage in professional experiences and prepared to handle their first job experience. Yet student remain as naive as always about focusing on their future."

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[lmitler]

There is a very important comment by Phil Gardner toward the end of the article. Students who graduated this year entered college at the beginning of the recession, giving them time to prepare for getting that post graduation job. But what have the colleges and universities done to help the students respond to the changing landscape of the job market? Have they introduced courses that are relevant to the needs of today's employers? I believe that most of their efforts are recruiting the students to the school, not helping them to be a more competitive candidate for a job post graduation.

[lmitler]

There is a very important comment by Phil Gardner toward the end of the article. Students who graduated this year entered college at the beginning of the recession, giving them time to prepare for getting that post graduation job. But what have the colleges and universities done to help the students respond to the changing landscape of the job market? Have they introduced courses that are relevant to the needs of today's employers? I believe that most of their efforts are recruiting the students to the school, not helping them to be a more competitive candidate for a job post graduation.

[vassalloja]

College graduates are facing a tough road ahead as job prospects are pretty bleak in specific areas. Before going into picking a major, students should analyze which jobs will be hiring in the years to come so they don't have to worry about <a href="http://www.granted.com">student employment</a> by using Granted.com.

[trs89]

No the problem with college grads is they are expecting to get the highest paid job with the company without doing the wrk. Also they don't want to cut the cord from mom and move somwhere else where the job market is better.

[Forty-Four]

No, there is much more to it than that. MUCH more. It is about finding A. A place that is looking to hire in the first place. and B. Making yourself look like the best of everyone who is applying for the job.