SOUTH BEND — The job outlook is bright for college graduates. Employers say this is the healthiest job market, offering the most jobs in three years. Many of the new hires will be replacing Baby Boomers who are approaching retirement.

178 companies attended the Career Fair at Notre Dame Wednesday hoping to hire more college graduates. Many say most of their employees will be retiring over the next 10 years. And they want to hire and train college graduates to take over those jobs.

The companies may be selling products, but the 12,000 students at Notre Dame's Career Fair are more interested in selling themselves.

"I've taken all the classes in the majors I need, classes in other majors, things that looked useful, things that looked interesting, and dove into extra curricular activities," said Andrew Matthews, a senior economics major who is looking for a job.

Finding a job has been difficult over the last few years.

"I'm a little nervous," said Matthews.

"I just hope if it's down now, it goes up," said Elizabeth Pike, a junior marketing major who is searching for an intership.

According to an annual survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, companies expect to hire 15 percent more graduates this year.

"We are caught in a chasm where we have a lot of older employees, and we have to beef up the hiring with the younger recruits," said John O'Connor, a Hewlett-Packard representative.

"Even though we may be in a down turned economy, it's not going to stay that way forever. And there's programs you can put them into to make it work," said Sam Duncan, CEO of OfficeMax.

But there's still competition for those jobs. Companies say there's one thing that will make a resume standout.

"If they can get the internship, it gives them the experience and gives them contacts within the company," said O'Connor.

HP hired one former intern at the Career Fair, which has given others hope.

"There are opportunities out there. You just have to work on it, get out there and grab it with both hands," said Matthews.

Companies say there are more jobs available in business, engineering, and finance.

The college and employer surveys show that most companies have hired more graduates each year since 2004.

Only a six percent of the companies surveyed said they were cutting back on college hires.