Class of 2023: Companies Plan to Ramp Up Hiring of College Grads

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WSJ Your Money Briefing 6 min 2 speakers 7 chapters transcribed 2 months ago
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

Unknown 0:00
This podcast is brought to you by ReliaQuest. Cyber criminals are constantly attacking. They want your data. They want your identity. They want your innovation. ReliaQuest fortifies your business with agentic defense, AI that detects, contains, and eliminates cyber threats in minutes. It helps your security team move faster at the work that matters most to protect the business now and delivers insights to help them predict what's next. ReliaQuest, agentic defense for the enterprise. Learn more at ReliaQuest.com. That's R-E-L-I-A-Q-U-E-S-T.com. Thank you.

What does the new survey say about employers planning to hire more college grads for Class of 2023?

J.R. Whalen 0:35
Here's your Money Briefing for Thursday, October 27th. I'm J.R. Whelan for The Wall Street Journal. Companies are still scrambling to find workers, and that's good news for college seniors who'll be graduating in the spring. Employers plan to recruit and hire even more college grads this time around than they did with the class of 2022.
Lindsay Ellis 0:53
Colleges host career events and info sessions, and students should make sure that they're on top of that information and know sort of when employers might be coming to visit and when to meet folks.
J.R. Whalen 1:04
Coming up, we'll talk with our reporter, Lindsay Ellis, about what kinds of companies are most eager to hire college grads and how things could change if the economy goes south. That's after the break.
Unknown 1:15
This podcast is brought to you by ReliaQuest. Cyber criminals are constantly attacking. They want your data. They want your identity. They want your innovation. ReliaQuest fortifies your business with agentic defense, AI that detects, contains, and eliminates cyber threats in minutes. It helps your security team move faster at the work that matters most to protect the business now and delivers insights to help them predict what's next. ReliaQuest, agentic defense for the enterprise. Learn more at ReliaQuest.com.

Why are companies increasing hiring of new graduates despite economic uncertainty?

Unknown 1:42
That's R-E-L-I-A-Q-U-E-S-T.com.
J.R. Whalen 1:52
A survey of hundreds of employers shows that many plan to hire more college grads next spring. But how firm are those plans in the face of an expected weakening economy? Lindsay Ellis covers young professionals in the workplace for the WSJ, and she joins me now. Hey, Lindsay, thanks so much for being with us.
Lindsay Ellis 2:08
Thank you so much for having me.
J.R. Whalen 2:09
So, Lindsay, about half the employers surveyed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers said they plan to increase the number of new graduate hires in the spring compared with the class of 2022. And overall, employers said they plan to hire nearly 15% more new grads than they did this year. Why are they planning to step up the hiring of new grads?
Lindsay Ellis 2:28
So companies right now are facing an unusual challenge. There is a really tight labor market paired with slowing growth in economic conditions, high inflation, and growing worries of a recession. And so many employers are coming into this hiring cycle for colleges having faced large worker shortages over more than a year. And they're reluctant to pass up on the chance to hire new staff, particularly early career folks who can be trained on the job and are really eager to get a job. And so they're looking to these students as a really fertile opportunity to employ large numbers of people.
J.R. Whalen 3:10
So where are the sweet spots in the business world for 2023 grads? What sectors plan to do the most hiring?
Lindsay Ellis 3:16
So NACE, the organization that did this surveying, told me that employers in the finance, insurance, real estate, and computer and electronic manufacturing industries, those stood out as especially hungry to hire new graduates. What's looking weaker, perhaps unsurprisingly, are the tech and retail sectors. That's a place that did not show as strong growth in the slightest.
J.R. Whalen 3:40
Now, you know, Lindsay, it's one thing to say you plan to hire more college grads next spring.

Which industries are most likely to ramp up hiring for 2023 graduates?

J.R. Whalen 3:45
It's another to actually find those workers. So what are companies and employers doing to reach potential candidates?
Lindsay Ellis 3:50
It's a really good question. So college recruiting for first jobs has totally changed over the last couple of years. Pre-pandemic, it was almost entirely in person. And then, of course, 2020 brought everything online.

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