Photo by: Michael Furman
Graduation is almost here and the challenges of the real world are just around the corner.
For most students, this means finding a job.
Approximately 3.1 million U.S. college degrees will be conferred this year, according to U.S. Census Bureau.
This year, approximately 1,100 DU students will search high and low to compete in what some say is the worst job market in a quarter century.
“I’m terrified, absolutely terrified,” said senior Colleen Ferguson, a business management major.
Many people know of someone who has been fired or laid off since the downturn of the economy began last year.
“I was very worried,” senior Jack Kechinger, finance major, said. “There’s a lot of bad news out there and a lot of news of people getting fired. You kind of question yourself as to where you are compared to those other people.”
Students are not the only ones affected by the tight job market.
“Students are in a panic,” said Tanja Hinterstoisser, career center manager at the Daniels College of Business. “Students are under stress and it’s not just students, it’s alumni and family members of students. This entire time affects the entire social entity of the students.”
The outlook for many seems bleak. This year, employers say they will hire 22 percent fewer college graduates than last year, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
“I’ve applied to 78 companies,” said senior Evan Meyer, marketing major. “I’ve been going down the Fortune 500 list for about two months now. I’ve heard back from about five, but I’m not interested in them.”
The Counselors at the DU Career Center advise students to accept any opportunity that comes their way.
“I would strongly encourage being flexible about that first job,” said Pat O’Keefe, assistant director of the career center. “It might not be the ideal first job they thought they would get right out of college.”
Other people, like senior Daliah Singer, are flexible.
“I’m doing a print internship at 5280 that is unpaid for the summer,” said Singer, a journalism major. “It’s been tough to try to find a paying job in journalism, so I took an internship because I feel it’s better to spend my time getting experience even though I’m not getting paid, than to not be doing anything. It gives me another two or three months to find a job.”
Still, some are not giving up.
“I’m picky,” Meyer said. “I won’t let myself settle. I’ll apply to 200 or 300 companies before I get the job I want. I’ve been applying to jobs from New York, New Jersey, Texas, Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, everywhere really.”
However, there are ways to improve the chances of landing a job.
“It was difficult initially,” said Kechinger, who has already accepted a job offer. “When I first went out, I tried to go into investment banking, I changed what I was looking for and actually went after an accounting field in the evaluation department.”
The DCB career center is giving five simple pieces of advice. Stay calm, feel confident, know the market, stay flexible and network.
“Do your searches, do your networking, be on top of the market, be knowledgeable,” Hinterstoisser said. “Do volunteer work. Do not just sit and not do anything. Any opportunity whether paid or unpaid is an opportunity for growth. It will give you more contacts and give you opportunities to expand your knowledge.”
There are other options for those who do not find a job.
“I’m trying to get into grad school,” Ferguson said. “Until then, I’m going to keep doing part time work at Comedy Works. I started working there last year as an intern and I progressed to a now managerial position.”
The services offered by both career centers do not end after graduation. Students have an entire year where they may seek services free of charge.
