Trends show dwindling job market for graduates
Interviewing for jobs can be disheartening, especially when there are more candidates than positions, marketing senior Justen Morrow said.
“They’re interviewing 50 people for two spots and then you (have) to interview three or four times for the same job,” he said. “It’s hard to keep a positive mind-set on things.”
The job market decreased by about 40 percent in the past year, making the job search for students much more difficult, according to MSU’s latest Recruiting Trends survey.
“All you can do right now is interview with as many places as you’re interested in,” Morrow said.
The survey’s results will be presented Friday at a recruiting conference in Chicago by Phil Gardner, director of the MSU Collegiate Employment Research Institute. The survey of more than 2,500 companies and institutions showed that hiring levels are the lowest they’ve been in decades.
Searching for employment
The job market has decreased about 40 percent in the past year.
In last year’s study, it was predicted hiring would be down 8 percent to 10 percent in 2009.
Total hiring in 2010 is expected to decline about 2 percent.
The MSU Recruiting Trends survey takes results from more than 2,500 companies and institutions.
Source: Recruiting Trends survey 2009-10
Students’ abilities to work outside of their majors and be flexible in the job market are important, Gardner said.
“You’re not just going to be plopped in your discipline,” he said. “You might be the wiz at your major, but if you can’t cross boundaries it will be hard.”
Gardner said the job market might gain some momentum in 2011-12, but students should not be discouraged by the dismal market.
“The important thing is that students can’t sit and say, ‘Oh, there’s nothing for me out there,’” he said. “Employers are not going to post (job opportunities) on job boards … they’re going to go to their networks.”
Networking is critical for students who are searching for jobs, said Kelley Bishop, executive director of MSU’s Career Services Network.
“You want to become known to those people in that field,” he said.
Students who are passionate about the jobs they are applying for will be more attractive to potential employers, Bishop said.
“You need to figure out what you really want to do,” he said. “It’s really easy to see the pathways when it’s something you really like.”
International relations junior Alex Cook could graduate as soon as this summer, but he is not confident he’ll find a job. Cook wants to move to China and intern at a consulate before going to graduate school.
“I’m expecting to go abroad and test the job market out there,” he said. “The well’s dry here.”
Smaller companies could be more poised to hire in these times, Gardner said.
“You have to tap into those … change your mind-set,” he said.
Students should be active in job searches, Gardner said.
“You need to build your networks … be engaged in the community,” he said.
“It’s not going to be waiting for somebody to show up and interview on campus.”
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