The Great Search

Most college graduates don't ever epect to hear the word 'unemployment.' But the fact of the matter is a growing number of graduates find themselves subject to fierce competition, corporate downsizing and a whole host of factors that college simply did not prepre them for. Unemployment is a word most college graduates thought they would never hear. According to author Brian Krueger, "many college students think that all they have to do is get through college and they will magically be given a job." But, as the recent graduates of the Class of 1996 are surely learning, it takes more than a diploma to find a good job in today's overly-competitive market. The Big U -- Unemployment Krueger, author of the book College Grad Job Hunter and Webmaster of the College Grad Job Hunter Web Site, recently conducted a college graduate unemployment survey. Krueger's survey includes numbers from more that 250 colleges and universities in the United States. It showed that a whopping 22 percent of the estimated 2 million new college graduates will enter the job market unemployed. "Since most of these students were never fully employed, the great majority will not be counted in national unemployment figures," Krueger said. United States unemployment figures are collected from individual state unemployment claims. Recent college graduates do not typically file these claims. But if college graduates are not getting jobs, then who is? Krueger speculates the high unemployment rates among recent college graduates are due to the fiercely competitive entry level job market. "Many of the best positions have already been filled," he writes. And, according to Krueger's book "while much of the U.S. economy is at near or full employment, the entry level job market remains in the middle of a five-year downturn. That spells bad news for college graduates with little or no experience." The survey identified an overall decline in on-campus interviewing by major companies. Krueger speculated that companies still doing fair amounts of on-campus interviewing typically concentrate on fewer, larger schools. Most of the positions opened in the 1996 hiring season were filled by May 1. "The competition for the best and brightest is high and leading employers know they must come to campus early in the year," Krueger said. "The by-product is that those that begin their job search late in the year have access to a much more limited pool of opportunities and a greater amount of competition." What About Penn Graduates? According to Patricia Rose, director of the undergraduate Career Planning and Placement Office, most University of Pennsylvania graduates are having no trouble finding jobs in their fields. Rose, in fact, speculated that corporate downsizing is bringing more companies to campus to interview students. Rose said the 2,300 University graduates had more than 14,000 job interviews, an increase of 500 from last year. A May article in The Philadelphia Daily News speculated that large corporations were cost-cutting while "snapping up college grads at entry-level salaries rather than hiring more-costly seasoned pros." Companies looking for college graduates will tend to travel to schools well-known for their excellence in certain areas. Rose said the liberal arts graduates at Penn, for example, are highly sought after, partially because "they're here at Penn, quite frankly." What's Your Major? Certain majors seem to be pulling more weight these days. Whether due to increased technology, or a computer-crazed society, the service sector is still the top provider of jobs for college graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Computer science engineering majors are the most in demand -- with spots opening every day for computer software developers and consultants and business equipment manufacturer representatives. Public accountants, engineers and management consultants are also in demand. The average starting salary for these graduates is $34,565 a year, a 2.5 percent jump from last year, according to the Association. The starting salary for engineers was a bit higher, with mechanical engineers receiving $38,907 a year, electrical engineers making $37,662 a year and computer engineers earning $36,591 a year. Business majors are also in demand at the moment. Management information systems majors have starting salaries of $32,476 a year. Accountants make about $28,971 a year and business-administration majors get $27,032. Allied health care graduates --- such as physical therapists and x-ray technicians -- have starting salaries of $34,061 this year. But nursing graduates don't seem to be in as great demand as in years past. Their starting salary was only $31,632, a significant drop from last year. Starting salaries for humanities majors dropped, with the starting salary for English majors falling slightly to $21,973 a year. The starting salary for sociology majors fell a whopping 7.5 percent -- averaging out at $20,041 a year. Despite their bad press, however, liberal arts majors seem to be faring well in the job market, especially in jobs that require good communication and interpretation skills. Many companies are willing to invest in the training needed to teach bright employees the special technical skills the job requires. However, liberal arts majors do have to market themselves a bit more that computer and business majors. "If you're an accounting student, firms are going to come here and say 'Who are the accounting majors?'" Rose said in an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer. "If you're an English or history major, you have to step out there and define yourself." Rose said liberal arts majors tend to have "excellent writing skills as well as good speaking and communication skills. The liberal arts degree allows students to take courses in many fields of study, but students must be sure to take advantage of the diverse offerings. The Inquirer article also suggests liberal arts students survey the market to figure out what is needed in a particular industry and then "showcase skills" with cover letter, resumes and interviews. A Few Tips No matter what a student majors in, finding a job in today's competitive market is not easy. Competition requires creativity -- and determination. "Make it your full-time job to find a job," he said. "I'm a firm believer that there is a right job for everyone. Your new job is out there. It's your job to find it." Students should also look into internships ahead of time. Many college undergraduates spend their summers doing mostly unpaid labor in order to earn the experience that will put them ahead when it is time to look for a permanent job. Students should also be familiar with the company they are hoping to work for. They can set up informational meetings before interviews to ask question and familiarize themselves with the companies inner-workings and procedures. Lisa Jane Bernard, career development director at Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, told the Inquirer that networking was "critical." "It shows initiative [and] motivation," she said. "Young people don't understand how much an employers values a sense of industry." One recent Wharton school graduate gave a final piece of advice -- when being interviewed for a position, act "like this is the only job for you."