Here’s good news for companies doing any hiring over the next few months: A new crop of eager entry-level talent will soon be available, without much competition from other employers.

That’s right, it’s almost time for college graduations. And the job market will be a lot tougher on grads than in previous years.

Just 43% of employers have any plans to hire recent graduates in 2009, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey. That’s down from 56% last year.

Also, 21% said they’ll be offering lower pay to entry-level hires. At most other companies (68%), those salaries will remain flat, and just 11% plan on an increase.

Bottom line: Employers have an opportunity to grab entry-level employers at a lower cost and with a better chance of landing the best hires.

Here are some ways companies can stand out when recruiting college students:

• Use the Web – Everyone knows students and recent grads spend a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other Web sites — yet many companies still don’t have much recruiting presence in those areas.
• Get referrals – The influence of friends and classmates can be a powerful factor in students’ career decisions. So when you hire someone fresh out of school, make sure you ask for the names of others who’d be a good fit.
• Keep internships – As hiring in general goes down, fewer companies plan on hiring interns this year. But experts warn against getting rid of such a valuable, low-risk strategy for bringing talent in the door.

Tags: CareerBuilder, college, entry-level jobs, survey