Spotlight for Career Services Professionals
Indications from employers responding to NACE's Job Outlook 2016 survey combined with recent job market data point to expectations of brisk recruiting activity on college campuses this spring.
More than two-thirds of employers in several industries reported firm or tentative plans for spring 2016 on-campus recruiting. These industries include miscellaneous professional services (90.9 percent); engineering services (87.5 percent); retail trade (84.6 percent); transportation (83.3 percent); utilities (71.4 percent); computer and electronics manufacturing (70.6 percent); finance, insurance, and real estate (69.2 percent); and accounting services (66.7 percent). (See Figure 1.)
Fortifying this projection is the fact that, in December 2015, the unemployment rate for bachelor's degree holders from ages 20 – 24 was 3.5 percent, the lowest since NACE began tracking this rate in September 2010.
The Job Outlook 2016 survey was conducted from August 5, 2015, through September 13, 2015, among NACE employer members. A total of 201 NACE employer members participated in the survey—a 20.1 percent response rate.
NACE members can access the Job Outlook 2016 report through MyNACE.
Figure 1: Spring 2016 on-campus recruiting plans, by industry
| Industry |
Firm plans in place |
Tentative plans |
All recruiting in Fall 2015 |
Not hiring |
Unsure |
| Oil & Gas Extraction |
11.1% |
11.1% |
77.8% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Utilities |
71.4% |
0.0% |
14.3% |
0.0% |
14.3% |
| Construction |
62.5% |
0.0% |
37.5% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Food & Beverage Mfg. |
33.3% |
16.7% |
16.7% |
0.0% |
33.3% |
| Chemical (Pharmaceutical) Mfg. |
20.0% |
13.3% |
26.7% |
6.7% |
33.3% |
| Computer & Electronics Mfg. |
35.3% |
35.3% |
23.5% |
0.0% |
5.9% |
| Misc. Mfg. |
33.3% |
33.3% |
13.3% |
6.7% |
13.3% |
| Retail Trade |
53.8% |
30.8% |
7.7% |
0.0% |
7.7% |
| Transportation |
33.3% |
50.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
16.7% |
| Information |
33.3% |
50.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
16.7% |
| Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate |
42.3% |
26.9% |
19.2% |
0.0% |
11.5% |
| Accounting Services |
55.6% |
11.1% |
33.3% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Engineering Services |
50.0% |
37.5% |
12.5% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Management Consulting |
20.0% |
40.0% |
40.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
| Misc. Prof. Services |
54.5% |
36.4% |
9.1% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Source: Job Outlook 2016, National Association of Colleges and Employers