Employers say they will hire about as many new college graduates from the Class of 2009 as they did from the Class of 2008, but plan to keep a watchful eye on those hiring needs, so they can shift gears if necessary, according to a report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Among employers responding to NACE's Job Outlook 2009 survey, the largest group (26 percent) said they will reassess their college graduate hiring needs on a monthly basis.

"That's a significant shift from just a year ago when the largest group of employers--nearly 26 percent--said they would reassess their hiring needs on a quarterly basis," says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

In addition, although 44 percent of responding employers characterized the job market for the college Class of 2009 as "good," more than one-quarter labeled it as just "fair," another significant change, according to Mackes.

"In comparison, just 6 percent of employers rated the job market for the Class of 2008 as fair, while nearly half rated it as very good," she says. (See Figure 1.)

In such an environment, says Mackes, "students need to use all the resources available to them to conduct a successful job search, starting with the campus career center."

Most career centers offer career counseling; resume writing, interviewing skills, and other job-search related workshops; programs to help students identify and connect with potential employers, such as career fairs and on-campus interviews; and job postings from interested employers, among other services.

"Career center staff can also help students stay on top of what's going on in the job market, so they can make informed decisions about their opportunities," says Mackes.

NACE will continue to monitor the job market for the Class of 2009. NACE's Salary Survey Winter report, scheduled for distribution in early February, will provide a first look at demand for new college graduates by specific discipline.

Since 1956, theNational Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/press/.