The Good Job Market For College Graduates

The L.A. Times reports:

The summer of '06 is likely to offer college graduates the best job market in years, the result of an expanding economy coupled with the first wave of baby boomer retirements. Nearly two-thirds of this year's estimated 1.4 million U.S. graduates may receive two or more offers, with jobs most abundant in California, Texas and New York, according to Monstertrak, a website that matches companies and college grads.

For the nation's employers, hiring this year's class presents challenges beyond dealing with a seller's market. As members of Generation Y, these young people are bringing a different set of values and attitudes into the workplace. Recruiters report that they tend to be highly informed, picky and very confident — some say cocky — about their abilities.

They plot their careers like chess masters. They ask pointed questions about company ethics and finances. Parents are more involved too, quizzing recruiters and in rare cases, even sitting in on job interviews.

"Kids today are wired. They can find out almost anything in seconds about a company and the questions recruiters ask," said Mark Mehler, co-founder of CareerXroads, a New Jersey consulting firm. "If the picture you paint is not reality, this generation will quit on a dime."

Good news on the job front.