Spring Break
Poor economy could mean difficult times for new graduates
Sarah Kloepping
Issue date: 12/17/08 Section: News
December graduates might find it more challenging to find a job during the ongoing recession, but in certain sectors, such as health care and education, prospects are brighter.
The 662 students who will graduate on Saturday are entering an economy that has been in recession for a year and has shed some 240,000 jobs since January.
Director of Career and Leadership Development Ron Buchholz said the school still is gathering data for its 2007-08 Employment and Continuing Education Report, which tracks employment success, but anecdotally, the effect of the economic downturn varies on individuals based on their plans.
"I think, generally speaking, graduates are concerned about possibly having less opportunities and more competition," Buchholz said. "But this all depends upon the career plans of the individual graduate."
Even in a strong economy, students still need to work to find jobs, Buchholz said. There is no magic bullet to finding employment.
"Prepare yourself as an exceptional professional," he said. "Become knowledgeable about how to develop job search strategies, how to conduct online searches, etc. Finding a job - either your senior year or after - will require some time and effort."
While most students will try to enter the work force right away, they won't necessarily be trying to support themselves independently.
According to Milwaukee-based CollegeGrad.com, an entry level job site, 77 percent of college graduates moved home after graduation, up from 73 percent in 2007 and 67 percent in 2006.
CollegeGrad said some cite a difficult economy, especially a high cost of living as the primary reason, but generational trends also play a role.
"This is a trend we were hearing about even before talk of a recession really started," said Sarah Zehr, assistant dean & director of engineering career services at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. "Gen Y students look to their parents for advice and support, and this is just another example of a trend with this generation."
The 662 students who will graduate on Saturday are entering an economy that has been in recession for a year and has shed some 240,000 jobs since January.
Director of Career and Leadership Development Ron Buchholz said the school still is gathering data for its 2007-08 Employment and Continuing Education Report, which tracks employment success, but anecdotally, the effect of the economic downturn varies on individuals based on their plans.
"I think, generally speaking, graduates are concerned about possibly having less opportunities and more competition," Buchholz said. "But this all depends upon the career plans of the individual graduate."
Even in a strong economy, students still need to work to find jobs, Buchholz said. There is no magic bullet to finding employment.
"Prepare yourself as an exceptional professional," he said. "Become knowledgeable about how to develop job search strategies, how to conduct online searches, etc. Finding a job - either your senior year or after - will require some time and effort."
While most students will try to enter the work force right away, they won't necessarily be trying to support themselves independently.
According to Milwaukee-based CollegeGrad.com, an entry level job site, 77 percent of college graduates moved home after graduation, up from 73 percent in 2007 and 67 percent in 2006.
CollegeGrad said some cite a difficult economy, especially a high cost of living as the primary reason, but generational trends also play a role.
"This is a trend we were hearing about even before talk of a recession really started," said Sarah Zehr, assistant dean & director of engineering career services at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. "Gen Y students look to their parents for advice and support, and this is just another example of a trend with this generation."
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