2015 looks to have a high growth of college graduate employment opportunities in Minnesota.

A news release from the 11th annual Minnesota College Job Outlook survey says more than 50 percent of employers plan to increase their hiring rate. It’s a 14 percent hike from 2014 and the highest increase since 2007.

The survey conductor and associate director of St. Cloud State University’s Career Services Center, Andrew Ditlevson, says the survey takes employers into account that actively recruit Minnesota new college graduates.

He says students interviewing skills and knowledge of companies have improved which shows all the effort of Career Service offices is paying off around the state. The survey shows students need to be more realistic when it comes to job expectations, get rid of their sense of entitlement and improve their verbal communication skills.

The survey reveals staffing agencies with 80 percent increase in employment in first place, the health care market with 75 percent of growth in second place and manufacturing industries rank third.

On the basis of the survey, it seems employee referral with a 10 percent increase from 69.8 percent in 2014 is the biggest change in recruiting methods for college student and new graduates in 2015. Ditlevson says the use of social media as an employment tool has gone up 10 percent from this past year alone, but is not a direct source of hiring according to employers.