For the second Semester Super Issue each year, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine surveys major employers to determine where the jobs are, what areas they are in, and what college majors employers seek. The "Top 100 Employers" is presented from four perspectives: the top 100 employers by total number of employees sought, the top 100 employers by majors, the top 100 employers listed alphabetically, and a listing of the majors in demand. Properly used, information that the survey contains will allow you to focus your job search.

The top five employers are Enterprise Rent-A-Car, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Maxim Healthcare Services, United States Customs and Border Protection, and Ernst & Young. Thirty-seven of the top 100 employers are government agencies; three are accounting firms.

Many majors are in demand. Given the number of accounting firms at the top of our survey, you may already have expected that of the top majors in demand, three are business related. But majors in liberal arts, nursing, education, computer science, and information technology are also in demand. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and others, is recruiting majors in liberal arts. Fairfax County, among others, is recruiting education majors. The U.S. Air Force is especially recruiting majors in nursing, those already majoring in nursing and those interested in doing so. If majoring in nursing with help from the U.S. Air Force interests you, see "Careers in the Military/U.S. Air Force" in this issue.

For hiring trends and salaries, look at our article by Dr. Philip D. Gardner in this issue, "Job Market for the Class of 2004 Gradually Improving." To detect employment trends, Dr. Gardner surveyed 450 employers. His assessment of the job market complements our Top-Employers survey. According to his survey, Federal agencies, particularly those related to homeland security, will be recruiting. Strong recruiting occurs for employers in retail, financial services, and health.

The job market is improving for the class or 2004, but it has not improved so much that you can be "casual" with your job search. If you are a senior, your job search must be tightly focused. You are well advised to examine our Top 100 Employers survey carefully and use it to work closely with your campus career centers. One of the ways employers specify their recruiting needs and reveal their "hiring strategies" is through your campus career center – at job fairs and on-campus interviews. Those of you who are not seniors should use the Top 100 Employers survey to determine which employers are likely to be offering internships in your major. Employers recruiting in your major are likely to offer excellent internship opportunities, as they – and you – look ahead. As with seniors, you need to continue your search for an internship with the help of your campus career center.

Note the salary guide appearing in Dr. Gardner's article. Information in that salary guide is based on his national survey. Do be reminded that even though the economy has improved for the class of 2004, it may not have increased recruitment for your major.