Spring brings warm weather, flowers and a deluge of college kids hungry for that first real job. Recent graduates could be a boon to companies scrambling to fill vacancies in a tight employment market, but they seldom have any real work experience. So the Business Journal asks: How good is this year’s crop of college grads? Brian Dunn Human Resources Manager Litton Aero Products No matter what program you’re coming out of, there will be a significant learning curve on the job. I have done a little bit of interviewing people just out of grad school and have only one offer pending at this time. That’s partly because we have only a few entry-level positions. But the person we offered the job to did have significant laboratory experience. Being able to put theory into practice is far preferable to someone who just has a good GPA. Barbara McNamara Vice President of Human Resources WellPoint Health Network We’re finding that grads are very computer and Internet literate. We don’t have to teach them to get comfortable with the mouse. A lot have done intern or volunteer work, so they have related work experience, which definitely gives them an edge. Their communication skills are stronger than they have been in the past. Recent grads are really savvy about the working world and they know how to present themselves in the interview process. It’s a very competitive market right now, and we find that the good grads with the background and the skills also closely examine us. They’re looking for flexible work time and asking detailed questions about benefits and if we have a casual work environment. Michael Gray IT Manager Edge Teleservices I’ve been running online ads for entry-level programmers. You would think that someone out of college would be good entry-level material, but you also need to have a talent and aptitude for the work. I hired one guy just out of CSUN with an MIS degree, and he seemed bright but just wasn’t very good at what he did. The people with degrees aren’t necessarily any better than applicants without them. And a lot of these guys just out of college are asking for, say, $40,000 a year. I’m not calling them back. I’ve got people willing to work for $12 an hour. Tim Coleman Regional Recruiter Kinko’s This year’s graduates are probably the best ever, so far as Kinko’s is concerned. As we’re getting more and more technical, so are the graduates. Rarely do we ask about computer skills and are disappointed. They all know the Internet, Microsoft Word and Excel, Power Point. They’re digitally savvy and have no fear of the computer. In the past, it’s been difficult to find candidates with all those skills. They are very interested in 401(k) plans and stock options. They ask about them more than any other age group. Julie Rodgers Manager Sagebrush Cantina In general, this year’s graduates are good. They seem to come out of college more well rounded they know a little bit in a lot of areas, and they know more about computers. I’m big on personality, not just book smarts. I need someone who can relate to a lot of different situations and relate to the public. However, if they have a degree on their resume, they will get an interview. A degree does seem to make them more reliable. Being responsible and making their job their priority is sometimes a problem here. Even after graduation, many of my student employees stay here because their degree does not get work that pays what we do.