Job Search Difficult for Grads
2008 Job Market: Graduates are Having Problems Finding Employment
Apr 27, 2008
In an interview with job placement instructors and graduates who are actively searching for jobs in the NJ area, it was proven that this year's job market is more competitive than experts have predicted. Some graduates have described their job searching experiences and recruiters have given their advice on how to survive this tough time.
According to The National Association of Colleges and Employer's(NACE) Job Outlook 2008 Spring Update Survey, employers expect to hire 8% more college graduates in 2007-08 than they hired in 2006-07. However, graduates are not the only ones who have been unsuccessful in their job searches, but job seekers as a whole.
From February to April, the unemployment rate has gone up from 4.9% to 5.1%, and to 5.7% in August. An estimated 958,000,000 graduates in the U.S are unemployed according to the United States Department of Labor. One woman, from Elizabeth, NJ, explains her trouble of finding employment.
"I am working part time as a waitress while attending Union County College for my associate degree in political science. It has been extremely hard to find a job in this economy, and I have been looking everyday, said Jennipher Bethea, 25.
Everyone is feeling the pinch. There are several unemployed participants in the NJ Department of Labor, Work Force Program, in Perth Amboy, NJ,who have not been able to find jobs according to Caseworker Rene Walker. She claims that times are very hard, in her office on September 5, 2008, and that a lot of the job searchers have been attending the program for a while and still haven't found jobs.
"We have even had a job searcher come in with her doctorates degree", said Caseworker Linda Urbeck from the Work Force Program.
Experts and Students Give Career Advice
In order for graduates to find a legitimate job in their field, students and placement advisors have offered their advice on how to shine amongst competitors.
"It is challenging to find a job for college students this year," said Mike Moriarty, Associate Director of Career Planning and Placement at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New Jersey in an April 2008 interview. Moriarty knows that the students who will prevail have prepared during school by participating in internships and extra curricular activities by using software and tools of their trade, preparing resumes and working in their field.
He doesn't recommend using templates from Microsoft Office for resumes, but says joining interview programs, such as the Mock Interview Programs at NJCU are good.
Here is a student whose job search has been easier than mostly every graduate she knows due to her hardwork and preparation.
"I have been working towards a good job in my field since I was a sophomore. I started as an intern at a radio station and have worked my way up," said Reisha Ramai, 25, from Montclair State University in an April 2008 Interview.
She has been working as a News Desk Associate at CBS News Network for over a year and has received her Bachelor of Arts degree on May 15, 2008 in Speech Communication.
Job Searching Tips: What Graduates Should Know
The average graduate in 2007-08 should take three to six months to land a legitimate job if he or she is consistently searching or is in the right field. For example, it is harder to find an entry-level job in Computer Science for because there are fewer jobs and a demand for additional certification and experience according to Moriarty.
Even, though it is tough in this market, when searching for jobs, there is five top personal qualities/skills employers seek, according to NACE's Job Outlook 2008 Survey : communication skills, work ethics, teamwork skills, initiative and interpersonal skills. Jobs seekers should check the status of applications after applying and make sure the punctuation and spelling on their resumes and cover letters are correct. Lastly, at the interview, be very professional. If you are naturally bubbly, then that's a plus.
