Is 2015 the Year for MBAs and Engineers?

For the first time in the better half of a decade, the “Help Wanted” sign is en vogue.

There’s serious buzz in the job market. HR professionals are coming out of hibernation seemingly for the first time since 2009, and warming up to hiring. A recent Ivy Exec survey found that 58% of HR professionals plan to fill more jobs than in the previous year. Click here to see all the findings from the survey.

While the unemployed might feel like their shining moment has arrived, their is still much competition to fill all these new openings.  In fact, the rate in which professionals are quitting has also been on the rise – indicating that passive job seekers are much more comfortable than before in seeking new opportunities. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that professionals need to keep sharp to land a new job.

So who are hiring managers targeting in 2015?

Notably, Engineers. Especially in the technology and energy industries, Engineers are needed. And you certainly won’t be surprised that the software variety are particularly in demand.

Duke’s Fuqua School of Business Tops Rankings

And MBAs! Well, Sort Of. Although respondents were not unified in their needs for talent with an MBA, they generally expressed great needs for the talents of an MBA. In fact, the list of most in demand skills read very much like the core curriculum of your Whartons, CBSs, Fuquas, and so forth.

Willy Lomans: Rejoice! Sales and Business Development professionals are just as much in demand as last year. About 41% percent of respondents rank sales professionals as one of their top three needs for the coming year.