The U.S. Department of Labor projects that employment of computer scientists will increase by 19% through 2020 and a 2011 report by the Computing Research Association (CRA) found that the number of students enrolling in college computer science programs has increased for the last three years.

But what’s the outlook for computer science majors today? To find out, we analyzed the more than 100,000 jobs on Indeed that cite a degree in computer science as a requirement.

Who’s hiring: Companies with the most computer science job postings

Where demand is the greatest: Cities with the most computer science job postings

Five of the top fifteen companies (CSC, General Dynamics, ManTech International, Northrop Grumman, SAIC) are headquartered in Washington DC, the top city on our list.

*based on a 25 mile radius

Who’s getting hired: The most popular computer science job titles

Software engineer is the dominant job title for computer science majors, with nearly four times more job postings than the #2 title, systems engineer.

What you can expect to earn:

We’d be remiss not to mention that we have more than a dozen positions open here at Indeed for people with a computer science degree who are passionate about technology. Let us know if you’d like to come work with us!

In previous posts, we showed how to target your resume searches to quickly find the most relevant candidates on Indeed. Many people with resumes on Indeed are employed and aren’t actively looking for a new job. To get their attention, you need to show them why your job opportunity is relevant to their experience.

Here are some simple methods recruiters and hiring managers can use to craft personalized messages and get greater response rates when contacting people on Indeed Resume.

Personalize your introduction

Start by using the person’s first name – then introduce yourself and your company. A simple statement like “Dear Nathan, I’m Joe Smith, Recruiting Manager, at Smith and Co.” sets a good stage for describing your job opportunity.

And if you’re using a message template, clean it up and double check your fields. “Dear xxx” isn’t a good conversation starter.

Present the opportunity

The goal of first contact should be to spark further dialogue by motivating the recipient to want to learn more about the opportunity. To capture their attention, be clear about the aspects of their resume that may make them a good fit for the job and show why it could be a smart career move.

• “We have an opening on our business development team and your history of increasing new client acquisitions makes me think you might be a great a fit. As the Business Development Manager, you’d  be responsible for developing and executing the sales strategy for our new line of widgets and establishing new distribution partnerships.”

• “I’m impressed by your history of launching international marketing programs and would love to speak with you about a new director-level position we’re creating on our global marketing team. In this role, you’d be responsible for leading an international marketing strategy that supports our growth in Europe.”

If available, provide a link to the job description or your career site to help the person further evaluate whether your opportunity is one they’d like to learn more about.

Don’t send mystery messages

Be sure to include your name, title and company. Providing a link to your own Indeed Resume is a great way to introduce yourself. Without these details your messages may come off as spammy and the recipient won’t know who they are corresponding with. We also recommend using a corporate email address instead of a personal address if possible.

Ready to get started? Visit Indeed Resume and connect with your next hire today!

This month, our Industry Employment Trends show job postings by U.S. employers retreated slightly from August levels in nine of the twelve major industries tracked.

2012 has been an up and down year for job postings in major industries. The level of postings rose steadily across most major industries from January through May, but declined during June and July. August saw every industry (except real estate and transportation) return to positive monthly growth, followed by a slight decline in September for most industries.

September 2012 Industry Employment Trends

Hospitality

Hospitality job postings have risen continuously since the end of July and increased another 1% during September. The industry’s longer term trend was also positive. US employers posted 44% more hospitality jobs in September than they did during September 2011. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospitality led all other industries in hiring during August.

Clicks on hospitality jobs, a measure of job seeker demand, increased 19% year-over-year, with housekeeper, custodian, and food service worker jobs receiving the most clicks. Demand was also strong for front desk agent and restaurant manager positions.

Information Technology

Information technology job postings declined slightly, 1%, over the month. Despite a 22% decline in job postings over the year and two straight months of negative growth, the industry continues to have the most jobs available after healthcare and retail. Graphic design, information technology, and desktop support were the top three IT job searches in September.

Retail

With seasonal hiring in full swing, retail had the largest increase in job postings during September. It was one of three industries (along with transportation and hospitality) that saw positive monthly gains. Retail job postings received the most clicks from job seekers in New York, Atlanta, and Chicago. Customer service and store manager job titles received the most clicks.

Check back each month for updated Job Market Competition and Industry Employment Trends reports – leading indicators for the job market in 2012.