For Taniya Brandon and many other soon-to-be graduates, interviews and applications are a big part of their senior year.

"As far as looking for a job, it has been very difficult for me," Brandon (senior-electrical engineering) said. "For a couple of my friends, it has not been a problem."

She added that some of her friends have had several interviews.

According to the Job Outlook 2005 survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), more than 1,000 employers nationwide each expect to hire an average of 123 graduates, a 13.1 percent increase from 2004. On average, in 2003, 109 graduates per employer were hired.

NACE spokeswoman Andrea Koncz said that in 2005, 61.7 percent of employers would hire more college graduates, which is an increase of about 11 percent from last year.

According to the survey, employers prefer graduates with degrees in accounting, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, business administration, computer science, economics and finance.

"We gave [employers] a list of majors and asked them which majors they were planning on hiring," Koncz said. "It is not to say the others will not find jobs, but they seem to be targeting those."

Koncz said that overall, employers have more positive comments this year.

"Employers are telling us companies are growing, the economy is increasing, more people are retiring, and there are more jobs to offer," Koncz said.

Four out of every five employers surveyed believe the job market for graduating seniors is good, very good or excellent. One out of every five thought the market is fair.

"We ask the employers to rate the job market, and this year, we had no employers rate the job market as poor," Koncz said.

Koncz said 4.8 percent of employers surveyed last year rated the job market as poor.

"I'm having a good experience," Aliya Jones (senior-electrical engineering) said. "One of the companies told me the reason they are hiring is that the baby-boomers are starting to retire and that they are losing 40 percent of their company," Jones said.

Jack Rayman, director of Penn State Career Services, said he is uncertain about the survey's results, despite the fact that the economy seems to be improving.

However, since the expected increase in job opportunities, Rayman said Career Services has seen more companies represented at the career fair than in recent years.

"Employer participation in the career fair is up 10 percent, so that's a good sign," Rayman said.

Electrical engineering department head Ken Jenkins said two to three years ago, the recruitment of electrical engineers was down, but it has slowly increased.

"I have asked students if they have found jobs, and most of them say they have," Jenkins said. "And it is the job they want."

College of the Liberal Arts Dean Susan Welch said the job market has also been depressing for students with liberal arts degrees the last few years.

Welch said most of the liberal arts students still go out and find jobs in the private sector.

"Some go into Teach for America and the Peace Corps and not the job market," Welch said.

New job market predications will be available from NACE again later this month and in April.