---
title: Nearly Two-Thirds of Graduates From The Class of 2019 Had Multiple Job Offers to Choose From
description: Today’s entry-level candidates are in high-demand.
image: https://8139278.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8139278/Imported_Blog_Media/eba98e70-original-scaled.jpe
---
# Nearly Two-Thirds of Graduates From The Class of 2019 Had Multiple Job Offers to Choose From
[ ](https://ripplematch.com/insights/author/kate-beckman)
Kate Beckman
Sep 25, 2019
Share
While many graduating seniors still worry about hearing back from the company of their dreams and standing out from other applicants, today’s entry-level candidates are enjoying a strong job market that allows them to be more selective about where they apply and ultimately work.
According to a survey conducted for our report [*The State of the Gen Z Job Search*](https://info.ripplematch.com/the-state-of-the-gen-z-job-search/)*, *nearly two-thirds – 62% – of respondents* from the class of 2019 had 2-3 job offers to choose from. Candidates [heavily weighed their offer decisions on factors like](https://splash.ripplematch.com/the-top-reasons-college-graduates-accept-job-offers-a73c32c6) company culture and professional development opportunities rather than compensation or job security.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers,[ employers intended to hire nearly 17% more graduates from the class of 2019 than they did from the class of 2018](https://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/2018/employers-plan-to-increase-college-hiring-by-almost-17-percent/), and job offer acceptance rates for recent graduates fell from 68.2% in 2017 to 66.9% in 2018, according to another [NACE study.](https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/trends-and-predictions/employers-report-fewer-offers-acceptances-in-2018/) This favorable job market gives candidates – even those at the entry-level – more leverage when assessing offers and deciding where to start their careers.
Despite the options available to this year’s graduates, 54% of our survey respondents said they accepted the first offer they received. This suggests that companies who begin engaging with candidates early on in the hiring process may find a slight advantage when it comes to securing Gen Z hires. With [over half of candidates](https://splash.ripplematch.com/when-gen-z-candidates-begin-their-job-search-59140b61/) starting their job search before or during the beginning of their senior year, early engagement should be a crucial part of any healthy university recruiting strategy.
As the class of 2020 goes through the job search process, they will likely be faced with a similar hiring landscape and several offers to choose from. To secure the most talented entry-level candidates and maintain [high offer-acceptance rates](https://splash.ripplematch.com/ways-to-increase-your-job-offer-acceptance-rates-ea81c23f/), employers need to double down on creating [a positive candidate experience](https://splash.ripplematch.com/steps-to-create-a-gen-z-friendly-candidate-experience-685eb5f1) and showcasing the value propositions of their company through [Gen Z-friendly recruitment marketing](https://splash.ripplematch.com/ways-to-refresh-your-recruitment-marketing-to-appeal-to-generation-z-074808f9).
**This group of 1,100 survey respondents were all verified RippleMatch users and hailed from a diverse group of universities, ranging from Ivy Leagues to large public universities to small private institutions. Respondents had varying academic backgrounds and are now employed in a wide range of roles and industries, from technology to healthcare. *
*Want to know how Gen Z candidates are faring during COVID-19? Download our report here to understand how employment was affected during the onset of COVID-19, and download our report *[*The Gen Z Job Seeker*](https://resources.ripplematch.com/the-gen-z-job-seeker-report)* to understand how this generation's approach to the job search has fundamentally changed.*
[Back](https://ripplematch.com/insights)
### Request a Demo
#### Learn about the recruiting platform that works for you!
##### Join Our Newsletter
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Kate Beckman",
"url" : "https://ripplematch.com/insights/author/kate-beckman"
},
"dateModified" : "2024-07-16T14:50:46.992Z",
"datePublished" : "2019-09-25T06:24:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Nearly Two-Thirds of Graduates From The Class of 2019 Had Multiple Job Offers to Choose From",
"image" : [ "https://8139278.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8139278/Imported_Blog_Media/eba98e70-original-scaled.jpe" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://ripplematch.com/insights/nearly-two-thirds-of-graduates-had-multiple-job-offers-to-choose-from-eba98e70",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://8139278.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8139278/Amanda%20-%20Copy%20of%20RM%20Logo%20with%20slogan%201080x1080-1.png"
},
"name" : "RippleMatch"
}
}
```