Careers: Monster Says Employers Want To Hire Entry-Level IT StaffCareers: Monster Says Employers Want To Hire Entry-Level IT Staff

As the next wave of college grads hits the streets, there's good news for those looking for tech jobs--demand is strong for entry-level IT jobs, according to Monster Worldwide Inc.

Overall, demand for entry-level jobs across all sectors is up based on an analysis of job listings on more than 1,500 Web sites, job boards, and corporate career sites, according to Monster.

Seventy-two percent of employers plan to hire 2006 graduates in the spring or summer, versus only 64% who did so last year, according to Monster's analysis. Also, 37% of companies expect to recruit more entry-level candidates than they did in 2005.

Entry-level IT jobs are among those in strong demand, says Jesse Harriott, VP of research at Monster. "There's a lot of talk about outsourcing, but there's still demand in the U.S. for technical support reps, including internal support and customer support," he says. Other hot entry-level IT jobs include business systems analysts, ASP developers, and Java developers, he says.

Geographically, demand for entry-level IT work is strong in New York, Miami/Palm Beach, and Phoenix, he says. "Miami and Phoenix have high population growth," he says.

Prospective employers aren't just looking at diplomas, Harriott says. "They're looking at entry-level candidates who have strong tech skills and who have also had internships" that provide on-the-job experience, he says.

Employers looking to fill nontech entry-level jobs also want candidates who have a level of "tech know-how," he says. Those jobs include call center and administration positions.

Monster isn't the only online job recruitment company that's noticing a pick-up in demand for entry-level positions. CareerBuilder.com this week also reported an uptick in job demand and salaries for entry-level jobs across many sectors.