For recent college graduates, the economic downturn and very, very slow recovery of the past few years have been brutal. But things may be looking up.

According to the Job Outlook 2013 survey, employers are on track to hire 13 percent more graduates from the class of 2013 than they did for those who walked away with their degrees in 2012.

The survey found nearly 38 percent of employers intend to conduct recruiting sessions this spring. That is up from about 35 percent last year, with a slight increase in recruiting across the board—up from 18.2 to 18.6 percent.

Recruiting experts say that with more employers advertising more administrative-type careers rather than sales-oriented positions, it appears as if more companies are not just looking to cultivate fresh new talent, but also to develop a long-term investment.

While the millennial workforce has developed something of a reputation for displaying entry-level entitlement issues and laziness (some deserved, some not), experts say that trend is dying because graduates no longer feel like the world is just going to hand them a job.

Experts add that hiring recent college graduates is a budget-friendly way for companies to explore what kind of talent is out there, as well as mold new hires into the types of employees they need.

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