Some good news about graduate job availability
Betsy McDermott
Last Updated:4:05 PM EST 11/18/09 Section: Viewpoint
There has been a constant barrage of bad news about the marketplace and how college graduates are not going to be able to find jobs. Let me dispel some of that gloom.
First of all, there are jobs out there for college graduates. Are you a good writer or problem-solver? Do you know how to take on a project and run with it? Are you good with people, quick to learn and flexible? Fisher students have the reputation of having a strong work ethic, so I won't even ask you about that. Your solid liberal arts education at Fisher promotes the cultivation of these and many other highly sought-after skills. Employers are always looking for dynamic, well rounded workers, even in a tight market. So the question you should be asking yourselves is, "What do I need to do to find these employers"?
The National Association of Career Counselors and Employers has been studying why some graduates succeed in getting great jobs in their fields and others don't. There are many possible reasons, but two big ones are:
1. Interaction with the college Career Center. 50 percent of college seniors nationwide, who utilized the college career services "intensely", had job offers by the end of April 2009, compared to 43 percent who only used the services for resume review and online jobs. (www.naceweb.org/spotlight/2009/c081909.htm)
2. Internship experience in the field of interest. In the October 28 issue of Spotlight Online, it was reported that 23 percent of the 2009 graduates who had internships under their belt had a job in hand by the end of April 2009, compared to only 14 percent who landed jobs without having done internships. (http://www.naceweb.org/spotlight/
2009/c102809.htm#1)
The notion that there are no jobs out there for college graduates is simply not true. You may need to work harder and be smarter about finding something appropriate in your field, but the successful methods are always the same: get experience, partner with the Career Center in your search and cultivate the professionalism that will set you apart from the other candidates. In other words, be pro-active and stay positive.
First of all, there are jobs out there for college graduates. Are you a good writer or problem-solver? Do you know how to take on a project and run with it? Are you good with people, quick to learn and flexible? Fisher students have the reputation of having a strong work ethic, so I won't even ask you about that. Your solid liberal arts education at Fisher promotes the cultivation of these and many other highly sought-after skills. Employers are always looking for dynamic, well rounded workers, even in a tight market. So the question you should be asking yourselves is, "What do I need to do to find these employers"?
The National Association of Career Counselors and Employers has been studying why some graduates succeed in getting great jobs in their fields and others don't. There are many possible reasons, but two big ones are:
1. Interaction with the college Career Center. 50 percent of college seniors nationwide, who utilized the college career services "intensely", had job offers by the end of April 2009, compared to 43 percent who only used the services for resume review and online jobs. (www.naceweb.org/spotlight/2009/c081909.htm)
2. Internship experience in the field of interest. In the October 28 issue of Spotlight Online, it was reported that 23 percent of the 2009 graduates who had internships under their belt had a job in hand by the end of April 2009, compared to only 14 percent who landed jobs without having done internships. (http://www.naceweb.org/spotlight/
2009/c102809.htm#1)
The notion that there are no jobs out there for college graduates is simply not true. You may need to work harder and be smarter about finding something appropriate in your field, but the successful methods are always the same: get experience, partner with the Career Center in your search and cultivate the professionalism that will set you apart from the other candidates. In other words, be pro-active and stay positive.
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