|
||||
  
 
 |
Job market not good, but no so bad either By
Keri Vargason A college degree does not necessarily secure college graduates a job in 2002. Dreams of sports cars, mansions, and meals consisting of food other than 10-for-a-dollar ramen noodles help students cope throughout their college career. These dreams vanish after students walk across the graduation stage and realize that for most, their dream job is not hunkered idly by, waiting to be filled by only them. The job market for college graduates isn't as bright as it was this time last year; however, it's not as dismal as you might believe either. There will be job opportunities for memberd of the class of 2002, but according to Monstertrak you will have to start looking earlier, shake a lot of recruiters' hands, and make your job search a priority to secure a place in the workforce at graduation. The good news is that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics companies added 66,000 people to their payrolls last month, the first increase since July, and unemployment dropped in February to 5.5 percent. The bad news is that according to a National Association of Colleges and Employers survey, employers expect to hire 20 percent fewer new graduates in the 2001-2002 school year than in 2000-2001. According to Jobweb, hiring cuts are biggest among those respondents who hired large numbers of new college graduates last year. The hiring outlook is worst for manufacturers, who expect to hire 30.1 percent fewer new college graduates. However, government and nonprofit organizations project a 20.5 percent increase in college hiring. They are looking to hire an average of 283 new college graduates in 2001-02, up from an average of 235 in 2000-01. Adrianne Bergs, a USU graduating senior in finance, says her biggest fear about finding a job after graduation is finding the right job for the right price. "Companies that I have talked to have so many qualified candidates to choose from that I feel they are offering me less than what I feel I am worth," said Bergs. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) many college students are experiencing firsthand the aftershocks of the recession, including more competition for fewer and lower-paying jobs. Many graduates are receiving salary offers that are not much higher---or considerably lower---than they were last year at this time. Camille Luckenbaugh, NACE employment information manager said, "Starting salaries may look encouraging for graduates in certain fields, but it's important to keep in mind that overall college hiring is down about 20 percent from last year. Business administration grads have been hit extremely hard by the sluggish economy, as their average offer dropped 9.1 percent to $32,994. Economic recovery may be imminent, but many employers are not convinced, according to Luckenbaugh. "They plan to wait and see if the economy turns the corner before recruiting new graduates or increasing their salary offers to them." "I don't know what I will do if I don't find a good job to pay my bills after graduation," said Bergs. "It's frustrating to go to college for four years only to not be able to find a job in what I've studied for four years." For job seekers, there are many job sources on the Internet to find job listings, job openings, post resum*s and find the latest information in the job market. Some of the most popular job sources are: Jobweb,Monster, America's job bank and Collegegrad. The New York Times, The Washington Post and other major newspapers across the country offer job listings as well as resum* posting services online. As the academic year winds down, economic recovery cannot come soon enough for the graduating college students of 2002. To remain competitive for that job of choice, students must remember to start their job search early, get relevant work experience, shake a lot of hands and simply wait for the right job to come along.
|
Archived Months:
January
1999 January
2000 January
2001 |
||