Let’s start off with a congratulations to the class of 2019: you did it! This is an exciting time to be entering the job market; unemployment is at a 50-year low and the share of graduates finding their first job within the year after graduation has been steadily increasing since 2012.
May is peak hiring time, so we’re unveiling our 2019 LinkedIn Grad’s Guide to Getting Hired, our annual report that shares workforce trends and insights to help today’s grads take their next step.
Today’s grads are savvy. They know they’re entering into a workforce different from their parents’. They’re drawn to technology roles and companies, and are invested in learning the technical skills critical to the jobs of the future. More than half take the leap to move away from where they went to school, landing in the country’s biggest cities like New York and Los Angeles.
Even so, new grads often ask us for advice on how to dive into the workforce.
With millions of jobs available on LinkedIn, the first step is asking yourself: what are you in it for? What makes you tick? What are your short and long-term goals? Once you have that ironed out, it’s time to take a look at the opportunities in front of you.
Peak hiring season for new grads starts now
Last year, we saw applies start to tick up as early as January and continue to rise throughout the spring. Don’t worry if you’re still getting organized, though: hires start to peak in May and continue throughout the summer.
Take the time to think about how you want to show up on LinkedIn. Craft your profile to represent the job you want, and make sure you update your Career Interests so we can make better job recommendations and recruiters can reach out with the right opportunities.
New grads are investing in learning the skills of the future
Technical skills related to data and artificial intelligence are some of the most in-demand skills and recent graduates are ahead of the game when it comes to investing in learning them. That’s smart, because companies are scrambling to hire this talent.
We took a look at the skills new graduates were investing in learning in the six months after graduating. We found they are uniquely pursuing data-related skills on LinkedIn Learning, an indicator that young professionals are thinking about the future of work.
The top five skills new grads are uniquely learning are:
Data Visualization (which combines data science and creativity, two of the most in-demand skills)
If you’ve invested time in learning a new skill or getting a certification on LinkedIn Learning, make sure you add it to your profile.
Don’t be pigeonholed by your major; it doesn’t dictate your career trajectory
Your liberal arts degree can take you places, and learning doesn’t stop at graduation. Our data shows these majors are the most versatile in landing a variety of types of jobs. So keep in mind what is most important to you, and find it.
And if you don’t have a degree, don’t worry. Some of the largest and most influential companies in the world are hiring professionals without four year degrees for a wide variety of roles.
Entry-level pros in demand: Tech and consulting companies are hiring the most grads
Tech and consulting firms remain at the top of the list of companies with the most entry-level hires, with Amazon leading for the second year in a row.
If you’re interested in tech, retail, consulting or banking, your next employer might be on this list. You’ll notice a few are LinkedIn Top Companies, indicating these employers aren’t only hiring, they’re also in high demand among job seekers due to appealing workplace culture and opportunities for career growth.
These are the 15 U.S. companies hiring the most new graduates:
Amazon (LinkedIn Top Company)
Deloitte (LinkedIn Top Company)
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (LinkedIn Top Company)
Google (LinkedIn Top Company)
Goldman Sachs (LinkedIn Top Company)
Oracle (LinkedIn Top Company)
Opportunity is out there: here are the most popular jobs for new grads
For the second year in a row, Software Engineer was the most popular role for new grads. It’s a role that has come under fire for lack of diversity in the past, but that may start to change as more women enter the field globally (in fact, tech roles are among the fastest growing for women around the world).
If tech isn’t your thing, teaching, nursing and sales roles are all on the rise as well. So, if one of these jobs interests you, there’s a good chance a company is looking for someone just like you - and there are thousands of openings.
Software Engineer
40K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $83,000
Registered Nurse
9K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $62,400
Salesperson
7K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $31,100
Teacher
8K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $40,000
Accountant
2K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $48,000
Project Manager
22K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $57,500
Administrative Assistant
17K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $35,400
Account Executive
10K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $55,000
Financial Analyst
4K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $59,300
Account Manager
8K+ open entry-level roles in the U.S.
Average total salary for entry-level roles: $52,900
Healthcare, finance and education industries are attracting new talent
Despite technology and consulting companies hiring the most grads, the healthcare industry is the number one industry hiring recent graduates, followed by finance and education. All three of these industries have opportunities for a wide variety of roles and skill sets, so don’t rule something out because it’s outside your comfort zone.
Top industries new grads are getting hired into:
Hospital & Health Care (870K+ open entry-level roles)
Financial Services (470K+ open entry-level roles)
Higher Education (108K+ open entry-level roles)
Information Technology & Services (409K+ open entry-level roles)
Retail (717K+ open entry-level roles)
Marketing & Advertising (241K+ open entry-level roles)
Computer Software (275K+ open entry-level roles)
Internet (82K+ open entry-level roles)
Education Management (185K+ entry-level roles)
Accounting (29K+ open entry-level roles)
If you’re looking for insight on what it might be like to work in a specific industry, spend some time exploring hashtags and LinkedIn Groups related to the industry you’re interested in. You can learn more about it -- and maybe even find someone who can give you advice about finding your way in.
New York and San Francisco are top destinations
More than 50% of new grads took the leap and moved away from the city where they went to school to find their next opportunity. For the second year, New York topped the list of cities attracting the most recent graduates.
Top cities for new grads:
New York City (136K+ open entry-level roles)
San Francisco Bay Area (122K+ open entry-level roles)
Chicago (146K+ open entry-level roles)
Washington D.C. (126K+ open entry-level roles)
Boston (117K+ open entry-level roles)
Los Angeles (143K+ open entry-level roles)
Dallas/Fort Worth (103K+ open entry-level roles)
Atlanta (78K+ open entry-level roles)
Seattle (68K+ open entry-level roles)
Austin (27K+ open entry-level roles)
We’re excited for you to take the next step in your journey, and LinkedIn is here to help every step of the way. Whether you’re researching a specific company, learning more about the opportunities available in your city, or looking for a way to get your foot in the door, we’re #InItTogether.