As schools and workplaces return to in-person post-pandemic, so is college recruiting, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). 
Dr. Mary Gatta
The 2023 Recruiting Benchmarks Report examines survey data from a NACE survey conducted from April-May 2023. The association asked employers – 334 organizations responded – about their recruitment and hiring practices and preferences.
The 204 respondents who agreed to be listed in the report’s executive summary included groups such as Chevron, Dell Technologies, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Kellogg Company, PepsiCo, and Starbucks.
Of those surveyed, more than 91% reported that they used direct, on-campus recruiting to recruit Class of 2022 students. This indicates an increase compared with last year and the years when the pandemic was in full swing, said Dr. Mary Gatta, director of research and public policy at NACE.
"They still use virtual modalities but college recruiting definitely is up close and personal now, on campus," Gatta said.
Findings showed that fewer recruiters are being tasked with the work this year compared to last, with 7.2 recruiters in 2023, down from 9.0 reported in 2022. However, budgets for more than 80% of these employers did not change much over the last year, the report noted.
As for when job offers and rejections are being sent out, the wait from the time of the applicant’s first interview was slightly shorter. The average number of days in-between first interview and offer/rejection notice in 2023 was 25.1, an improvement from 25.6 in 2022.
