More employers could have given more employees time off during the recent three-day Labor Day weekend--had they been able to fill positions that are sitting vacant. The National Assn. of Colleges and Employers , Bethlehem, Pa., found that last year it took U.S. businesses six weeks to fill nontechnical positions and nine weeks to fill technical positions.
The survey of 434 employers across the country reports that as many companies are offering signing bonuses as those that do not. Additionally, when looking at candidates, the primary screening criteria is college major followed by work or co-op experience. The survey also found that 65% of employers use the Internet for job postings, 57% use the Internet for recruiting, 62% use the Internet for advertising, and 62% have external email capabilities.
The survey found that manufacturers, based on category, were hiring the following numbers of graduates per company: computers and business machines, 89; electrical and electronic machinery and equipment, 78; petroleum and allied products, 75; aerospace, 63; and chemicals, drugs, and allied products, 58.
