Grads on the Hunt: The Good, The Bad, The Promising
You recently graduated. You’re still unemployed. You continue the job hunt. Here’s what you need to know…
The Good >> The more schooling you have, the less likely you are to be unemployed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2009 (the most recent month of reporting available), the national unemployment rate was 10 percent for adults over 25 years of age who only had a high school diploma, but just 7.7 percent for those with an associate degree, and 4.8 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree. In other words, your degree was worth all of the effort, even if you are having trouble finding a job at the moment.
The Bad >> Less people are hiring grads this year. The survey stats are in and, yes, 2009 grads are worse off than 2008 grads when it comes to getting hired, according to the Job Outlook 2009 Spring Update survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). Employers reported that they expect to hire nearly 22 percent fewer graduates from the Class of 2009 than they hired last year. Not surprisingly, the 2009 NACE Graduating Student Survey indicated that 63 percent of college seniors were worried that the economy would hurt their chances of finding a full-time job. But really — aren’t all grads worried about landing that first job? Keep at it, and eventually, it’ll happen.
The Promising >> If you do get hired, your starting salary will probably be respectable. By respectable, we mean that it won’t be too far below salary expectations. According to the Spring 2009 issue of NACE’s Salary Survey, the overall average offer to 2009 bachelor’s degree graduates stands at $48,515 – down just 2.2 percent from the average of $49,624 posted in Spring 2008.
So now you know the deal. Are you facing a tougher job market than past graduating classes? Sure. But you’re still in better shape having earned your degree. The key is to keep your options opened, remain optimistic, and find ways to set yourself apart from the job applicant pool.
** Share your job hunt story… has it been hard to find a job? Leave a comment here, or message us on twitter: @collegesurfing.
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1. Take a career aptitude test.
2. Position yourself as an industry expert.
3. Showcase your strengths.
4. Wipe out your weaknesses.
5. Infiltrate the industry.
6. Be like Gumby.
We’re officially in the time of college graduations. Speakers are getting their inspirational speeches together, while the anxious Class of ‘09 — with or without jobs — is feeling a little uneasy at the prospect of beginning their new lives.
Nobody wants to get laid off. And in this economy, very few will voluntarily quit their jobs. A job is financial security, a way to feed your kids and keep a roof over their heads. But what if the unthinkable happens? What would you do?
These days it seems that all people are talking about are lay-offs and reduced hiring rates — so much so that they ignore an important factor in every industry: the retirement rate. While many professions may reduce the amount by which they hire on a yearly basis, the truth is that a fresh crop of employees is always necessary in order to takeover the jobs of workers who have reached retirement age.
This just in: more bad news from the front lines of the recession. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the student loan default rate has climbed from 4.6 percent in 2005 to 5.2 percent in 2006 to a preliminary figure of 6.9 percent for 2007. The 2007 rate is based on recent grads who began repaying their loans between October 2006 and September 2007 and defaulted before October 2008.
Determination and setting an example were very important in contributing to Teresita Lee’s successful completion of her Bachelor of Science degree in Management at the University of Phoenix. The 70-year-old great-grandmother recently donned a cap and gown at a graduation ceremony in Austin, Texas, according to a recent Career College Central
Internships are a fabulous way for people of all ages to see how they might enjoy a particular field. The downside is that most internships are unpaid; but the upside is networking, getting your foot in the door, and possibly getting a job offer at the end of it all. No, you’re not guaranteed a job with an internship, but you’re more likely to secure one with your internship experience. And although the current state of the economy may have left many unemployed, the key to a new job could be an internship.


It’s amazing what kind of job-related reads you can find online when you know where to look. Here’s where I’m looking today – a roundup of the coolest career posts in the blogosphere.