Internships now key to hiring decisions.

• Position: Hiring and training business interns, trends and forecast - Brief article

Companies are using new approaches to make hiring decisions on recent college graduates, advises Timothy Luzader, director of the Center for Career Opportunities at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. The typical employment interview has changed, he explains.

"The old 'What do you want to be doing in five years?' has been replaced by 'Give me an example of a problem you've faced and how you solved it.'"

This reflects a persistent trend over the past three or four years of an increased emphasis by employers on internships. Luzader reports internships used to be number five or seven on employers' lists, but now experience is a solid number one.

"Companies today court interns and provide them with a long-term positive experience with significant challenges," Luzader points out. "The goal is to convert these interns and retain them as permanent employees."

Luzader emphasizes that there are no sure-fire majors or guaranteed-for-life jobs...