As we approach the halfway point of the school year, many students are starting to think about graduation. But, like all soon-to-be grads it’s often a struggle to figure out the best way to begin your job search.
To help you prepare to enter the workforce, we’ve compiled our second annual list of the most popular companies and jobs for grads. This year, Amazon has taken the top spot on the list of most popular companies, having hired twice as many 2017 graduates as any other company on this list. Software engineers are taking home the biggest paychecks, with more than 50,000 open entry-level roles around the country.
The most popular jobs for graduates cover a wide range of functions, showing the variety of entry-level positions available to students with various backgrounds and interests. So regardless of what path you may pursue, or what your ideal career may be rest assured that there are options.
Here’s our list of who’s hiring the most recent grads, as well as the top positions and their median salary for graduates:
Most Popular Companies for Recent Graduates:
Most Popular Entry-Level Jobs and Median Salaries for Recent Graduates:
Software Engineer - $95,000
Administrative Assistant - $38,600
Account Executive - $75,000
Recruiter - $57,000
Financial Analyst - $65,000
Marketing Coordinator - $45,000
Research Assistant - $34,500
Business Analyst - $72,000
Account Manager - $67,000
Project Engineer - $73,000
Tips to help you find your first job:
Explore all connections – even ones that seem unlikely: Identify the people you already know who work in a field you’d like to pursue or at a company you’d like to work at. Reach out to learn more about how they got where they are today and learn about the application process. You never know, an old classmate, or someone you met at an internship, could help you take the next step in your career.
Spend your time wisely: Staying informed about the best time to apply and get hired can make all the difference in landing your first job. Our research found that most applicants in 2016 got hired between April and June. Similarly, staying up to date on the top cities for entry-level candidates and the companies hiring recent grads can help prioritize where to spend your time.
Use every resource to help nail the interview: You’ve found an open role that seems like a perfect match, updated your LinkedIn Profile and resume, and landed the interview – now what? If you have the name of the interviewer ahead of time, checking out their LinkedIn profile and public social media accounts can give you some ideas for breaking the ice. Need a little extra help? Through LinkedIn’s Career Advice platform, you can connect with experienced professionals and ask them for their best interview tips.
Check out all of the entry level jobs on LinkedIn and start applying to positions sooner rather than later to get a head start on your finding the perfect career for you
Methodology:
Sample includes all members who indicate graduating with a Bachelor's degree from a U.S. institution in 2017. The lists were compiled based on new positions and companies these members added to their profiles since their graduation date.