Brecker & Merryman, Inc., a human resource management and consulting firm, recently released its two annual recruiting reports "Campus Recruiting Snapshot" and "MBA Consulting Compensation Study."

"Campus Recruiting Snapshot" is an annual survey designed to obtain an overview of current and future campus recruiting trends. Distributed to employers of varying industries, the study looks at recruiting activity, student majors, salaries, signing bonuses, internship programs, electronic recruiting and other aspects of campus recruiting.

The "MBA Consulting Compensation Study" reports compensation information received from placement offices of the Top 20 U.S. graduate business schools. Its focus is to address trends in the following areas: students entering consulting, top hiring firms, starting salaries and bonuses, and reasons for student interest in consulting. Selected survey highlights:

Annual "Campus Recruiting Snapshot" 1998

• Organizations typically recruit for graduate students at 20 schools or fewer. However, a substantial proportion cast a broader net for undergraduate candidates.
  
• For the second consecutive year, business/ economics was the most frequently recruited major for undergraduates, followed by computer science. MBAs again were the most frequently recruited graduate degree.
  
• For the third year in a row, the demand for computer science majors was greater than the supply.
  
• Respondents reported offering higher salaries to undergraduates, MBAs and other master's degree candidates than they did the previous year. This increase was most evident among non-MBA master's degree candidates.

Annual "MBA Consulting Compensation Study"-1998

• The percentage of students entering consulting increased slightly from 1997. On average, consulting firms attracted 30% of Top 20 business school graduates compared to 28% in 1997.
  
• The Top 20 business schools were asked to list the three consulting firms from which their MBAs accepted the most offers. Deloitte & Touche Consulting, McKinsey and PricewaterhouseCoopers were all listed as the top consulting recruiters by 40% of the schools.
  
• Consulting base salaries increased for MBAs in 1998 to $90,000. This is an 8% increase from $83,000 in 1997. The increase from $77,000 in 1996 to $83,000 in 1997 was also 8%. Base salaries ranged from $58,000 to $128,000.
  
• The average total compensation package offered to MBAs in the Top 20 schools was 8% higher in 1998 than in 1997. Compensation offered to MBAs in the Top 10 schools was 10% higher than that offered to MBAs in schools ranked 11-20.
  
• The four most common incentive bonuses were signing bonuses, guaranteed bonuses, tuition payback and relocation coverage.

- The average signing bonus was $22,000, an increase of 10% over last year. The range was $18,000 to $37,500.
- The average guaranteed bonus was $17,000 and ranged from $13,000 to $25,000. This is an increase of 42% from 1997.
- The average tuition payback was $23,000. (1996 and 1997 data not available)
- The average relocation coverage provided by the firms was $5,000. (1996 and 1997 data not available)
- Of those who mentioned additional incentives, all listed performance incentives. Other incentives included profit sharing, stock options, equity participation and laptops.