Grad market.

Byline: Richard Craver

Apr. 16--Emily Leonhardt has a piece of advice for Triad universities and their students when it comes to landing a job before graduation. "Universities ought to dedicate a senior-year course to job hunting," said Leonhardt with a smile. She is on track to graduate with a degree in computer science and English at Wake Forest University.

Leonhardt said that by the time she explored job postings, prepared her resume, practiced her communication skills and conducted one or more rounds of employer interviews, "it definitely turned into the equivalent of taking an extra class."

"If I had known it would have taken so much time, I would have taken a lighter load in the fall," Leonhardt said. "But it was worth it, considering the job I got" as an associate in the information risk-management division of accounting company KPMG LLP.

"I wanted a job with a little more room for growth rather than just being in a cubical working code all day," Leonhardt said.

The job market for college graduates may be the brightest since 2001 because of employers' growing demand for technology-savvy students, according to career-services officials at local universities and several employment surveys. That demand is expected to increase as companies prepare for the retirement of baby boomers in the next few years.

The pressure also is increasing on college students to find a way to differentiate themselves, such as summer internships, speaking another language and …