WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather, and Sports |Employers to hire fewer college grads in '09

Employers to hire fewer college grads in '09

College students preparing to graduate will have to look a harder to find work in the down economy.

Employers say they will be hiring around 8% less college graduates in 2009 than they did last year.

According to a poll take twice in 2008, hiring expectations changed significantly.

From mid-2008 to the end of the year, agriculture jobs went down over 14.2% while jobs in the construction field dropped 19.6%.

Government saw a 19.8% increase and technology fields held steady.

"The technology fields are still good fields to be in right now," said MTSU Career Counselor Bill Fletcher.  "Anything working in engineering or computers, technology, also the sales fields, the business fields are still good fields to be in."

Experts advise students to apply early, and pay close attention to detail.

Last week, more than 700 local college students and graduates attended at job far at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, the most organizers said they've seen ever.

• Feb. 10, 2009: Job fair attracts local students, alumni
• Feb. 9, 2009: Area college students, graduates to attend job fair