How to land a job after college graduation

With graduation season approaching, thousands of Indiana college and university students are preparing to leave the cocoon of campus life to start careers.

Here are some things to know about landing a job, the area's highest-paying jobs and which ones are most in-demand.

When to apply

The time to apply is now! A survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 35 percent of employers already have hired college students to begin working before or after graduation. The majority of the remaining employers have not hired any graduates yet but are planning to do so, an 18 percent increase since 2013.

An economy that has performed at a pace lower than expected likely has slowed some hiring, said Jen Schramm, SHRM's manager of workforce trends.

"Employers are planning to hire, but they are doing it a little slower this season," Schramm said. "If it seems like you're not having that much luck or it's taking a while, don't lose hope because a lot of the people we surveyed say they do plan to hire 2015 grads."

Where to look

According to the SHRM survey, 89 percent of companies still are using traditional methods to recruit college graduates, such as collaborating with colleges and universities while 60 percent post jobs on company websites. About half are using employee referrals and social networking websites. By far, those who turn to social media for recruiting use LinkedIn. Mobile technology followed at 23 percent.

Schramm said campus visits continue to be effective, because employers can interact with students and build on their brand. Even with more recruiters using social media to find the newly graduated, "the traditional campus recruiting methods are not going to go anywhere. ... Every year it just goes up and up."

What about the money?

With 59 percent of college students ranking pay as their top job priority, some may be disappointed to find that salaries have not increased since last year, Schramm said. The majority of companies — 81 percent — offered graduates about the same compensation package (salary plus benefits) as in 2014. But STEM-related and technology-based jobs are paying the highest salaries.

Here are the average and entry-level salaries of the 10 highest paying jobs in the Indianapolis-Carmel statistical area, according to USAWage.com, which uses U.S. Department of Labor data:

General pediatricians: $186,810; $147,860

Nurse anesthetists: $178,600; $148,600

Family and general practitioners: $166,390; $76,790

Podiatrists: $147,860; $45,500

Air traffic controllers: $136,970; $43,450

Judges, magistrate judges, and magistrates: $131,520; $62,540

Pharmacists: $113,330; $89,150

Orthotists and prosthetists: $111,400; $60,350

Architectural and engineering managers: $108,620; $78,470

General dentists: $107,890; $56,760

The area's most in-demand jobs don't necessarily pay the most but many are "highest paid," since there is such a demand for high-wage, high-skill STEM training, according to Brian Van Bokkelen, EmployIndy communications manager. The most in-demand jobs include:

Software developers

Registered nurses

Medical and health services managers

Computer systems analysts

Maintenance and repair workers

Computer user support specialists

Sales representatives - technical

Network and computer systems administrators

Licensed practical nurses

Database administrators

Supervisors: production and operating workers

Medical scientists

Engineers: civil, mechanical, software, quality assurance

For graduates considering getting advanced degrees, a 2014 report by HireUpIndy predicts that technical fields will lead job growth in Central Indiana at twice the rate of non-technical fields over the next 12 years.

Call Star reporter Leisa Richardson at (317) 444-6378. Follow her on Twitter: @leisarichardson.