Ready for Summer?

Rosier Job Outlook for College Graduates


Hiring projections improve for 2010, but the job market remains treacherous for college grads.

By Brian Burnsed

Posted April 29, 2010

The menacing clouds that have hung over the job market for recent college graduates are not parting completely, but a few rays of light are finally breaking through. For the first time in nearly two years, the hiring climate looks hospitable—if only slightly so—to new graduates, according to a report on the 2010 job outlook from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE. The report, based on a survey of 177 employers of various sizes nationwide, projects that 5.3 percent more new graduates will be hired this year than were last year. "The 2009 graduates were hit pretty hard," says David Leibig, associate director of career services at Villanova University. "There's the cautious optimism that things are slowly—and I think slowly is the key word there—getting better."

Cautious optimism may feel like exuberance for those about to receive their diplomas. This time last year, NACE's report indicated that hiring for 2009 grads would decrease by 21.6 percent. While those dismal figures have swung, the recessionary storm is far from passing, and experts caution that students should not wait for a job to fall in their laps as they might have done in flusher years. Nearly half of the firms that took part in the 2010 survey reported that their recruitment budgets decreased this year, meaning fewer companies are attending career fairs and sending recruiters to schools. "They do have jobs available," says Andrea Koncz, employment information manager at NACE. "They just might not come out to campus to recruit for them. They might post them online and [use] less expensive recruiting methods."

Experts say the employers' limited reach means that students need to be more active in their job-search process and better prepared during the limited times when companies do make an appearance on campus. "If the students aren't able to take advantage of the opportunity—a career fair or symposium—they aren't going to be considered a serious candidate," says James Tarbox, San Diego State University's director of career services.

Many employers, however, have been able to ramp up recruitment efforts after more than a year of stagnation. Hitachi Consulting, a Dallas-based firm, visited fewer campuses and reduced its hiring targets during its 2008-2009 hiring cycle. This year it has increased its college graduate hiring target by 60 percent over last. Company recruiting executives are confident that the turnaround is no short-term event, "[Hiring] absolutely has increased in this last cycle," says Todd Vician, Hitachi's manager of campus recruiting. "We anticipate continued growth-probably not to that same degree-but early indicators show another increase [this fall]."

The hiring turnaround is spearheaded by several industries hoping to expand rapidly. According to NACE data, manufacturing jobs are growing the fastest—projected to expand by almost 60 percent this year for college graduates—after falling off during the recession. Officials at college career services offices across the country indicate that accounting firms are experiencing no drop-off in hiring and continue to recruit heavily on campuses. Career experts also point out the budding availability of government jobs to recent graduates, especially those with liberal arts backgrounds who possess easily transferable skills. "Government hiring continues to be strong," says Monica Wilson, associate director of employer relations at Dartmouth College. "The government is doing a better job communicating openings to college career services offices."

The outlook isn't as rosy for every career path. Many state governments find their budgets in disarray in the wake of the recession, which has put a damper on education recruitment. At San Diego State, Tarbox claims that only 15 school districts were represented at a campus career fair, down from roughly 50 in years past. Though the NACE report indicates that the healthcare field is a fertile one for new graduates, nursing students may find it barren. Before the recession, it was common for nursing students to field multiple job offers. Now, many nursing students have had to lower their expectations of finding a job soon after graduation. "Three or four years ago, our nursing students had hardly any problem getting the job they wanted," says Leibig. "They've been brought back to the rest of the pack. It's tougher for them now, especially in metropolitan areas."

The downturn has hit recruiting at small schools harder than at some of their better-known counterparts. Christy Hanson, director of career development at Messiah College, which has an enrollment of roughly 2,700 students, says that firms have had to trim colleges from their recruiting lists amid budget cutbacks. Among the first to be cut from the list are smaller institutions like Messiah. With less exposure to corporate recruiters on campus, students at small schools need to be diligent in their job-search efforts. "The message that we're trying to give to our students is that there's hope out there, but you really need to think smart and strategically about how you're building your own brand and distinguishing yourself against other candidates," Hanson says.



Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students. It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors. FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile. Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!



Etiquette Tip of the Week:

“When attending wakes, funerals and memorial services for business associates, dress to blend in rather than stand out. Dress in a solemn fashion in dark colors (black, charcoal gray, navy…) avoiding bright accent colors in ties, scarves or other accessories.

Gentlemen should wear dark suits, dark ties and white shirts. (If you own a black shirt and silver tie, do not wear it for this occasion -- or ever.) For ladies, dark suits, dresses or skirts, modestly cut, are the most appropriate. Avoid cocktail dresses, bare shoulders, spaghetti straps or mini-anything. Also avoid sparkley jewelry -- don't bring your bling.

Don't offend, try to blend.”

As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Events this Week:

4/29 Career Mentor Closing Reception

Yates Gill Dining Rm 5:30-7 pm

5/7 Vector Marketing

11-2 Atrium

Ready for Summer Yet?

How to Beat the Job-Search Blues

By Maura Judkis

Posted: April 15, 2010

Jacob Roberts wasn't that surprised when he got the ax. The 28-year-old New Yorker worked in finance, after all. Shortly after things began to head south on Wall Street, he started saving money and revamping his résumé. Roberts was snared in the fourth round of layoffs at Information Management Network, a corporate finance conference company where he was an assistant producer. Still, he wasn't worried. "The way I looked at it at the time was, 'I'm 28, I have a college degree, and I live in New York City. There must be plenty of jobs,'" he says.
He was wrong. Roberts's search lasted more than eight months—from mid-June 2009 until late February 2010—before he accepted a job with the online medical portal WebMD as an associate editor. He says the job aligns perfectly with his aspirations to work in writing and editing. Here's how he got his new gig—and what he learned along the way.
[See the Best Careers for 2010.]
Remember that finding a job is a full-time job. After Roberts was laid off, he took a two-week break before starting his search. "I treated it as an extended holiday," he says. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't [taken time off] ... But in retrospect, it probably wouldn't have mattered. I didn't find a job for more than eight months." Roberts took several breaks in the midst of his job hunt. He says each hiatus helped him combat fatigue, but he regrets wasting time. "I should have used that week to think of new ways to look for jobs. I sort of got complacent."
Volunteer for a ­worthy cause. To avoid spending money, Roberts seldom left his house. After endless hours at a computer futilely applying for jobs, Roberts started volunteering 14 hours a week, which gave him a morale boost. New York Cares, a network that matches participants with a variety of projects throughout the city, led him to community service helping inner-city kids maintain a neighborhood garden. When the weather turned colder, Roberts taught English as a second language at an Arab-American center in his neighborhood. It gave him a chance to network with other unemployed volunteers, who assisted one another in their job searches.
[How to Turn Volunteering Into a Job.]
"It's not totally altruistic," says Roberts, who included volunteer jobs in his résumé. "'What have you been doing since you lost your job?' was always the second question I was asked in an interview, and it was better to say, 'I've been volunteering,' than just 'searching for a job.' My line was, 'It gives me an opportunity to help people, which I never had while I was working.'" Even though he's now employed, Roberts still volunteers through New York Cares, spending two hours a week helping inner-city high school sophomores prep for the SAT.
Find ways to beat discouragement. The toughest thing about Roberts's job search wasn't rejections: It was silence. "If someone sent me a rejection, I'd be happy, because at least then I'd know that somebody had seen my résumé, looked at it, and said, 'You are not worthy,'" he says. But at other times, "there was complete silence from everyone and everywhere." Roberts wrote freelance articles and a short-lived blog to break the monotony. "You can't do the same thing for nine hours a day," he says.
Leave no stone unturned. Roberts's search utilized every major job-board website and his entire network of friends and former colleagues. While he originally sought only writing and finance jobs, he cast a wider and wider net until he found himself seeking hourly wage jobs at Barnes & Noble and GameStop, to no avail.
In the end, working with a recruiter helped him land his current job. Roberts was contacted by Iben Krogh of Park Hudson International in December 2009 for a job that he felt wasn't a good fit, but Krogh was able to get him the interview at WebMD a month later for a six-month, contract-to-hire position. "It's a numbers game," Rob­erts says. "If you call 100 people, it's always the 101st who will give you a job. There's always that hope."

Something New Called Focus 2!

Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it.

It helps you decide what your major should be!

OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best!

FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers.

Be sure to check it out today!

Etiquette Tip of the Week:

In honor of Administrative Professionals Day (Secretaries Day), coming up April 21: Too many people think an interview or sales call begins when you meet the interviewer or client.  Your interview begins with the security guards when you enter the building.  Kill with kindness any security personnel, receptionists or administrative professionals you meet along the way.  They are all part of your interview process.  Be upbeat, pleasant and make eye contact with everyone you meet on your way in and out.

As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com

Events for the Week:

4/17	Bright Future Employment Fair
4/28	International Career Fair

Quote from the Office:

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.
Arthur C. Clarke

Now Just Until Summer!

Tips for college students on how to search for a job By Jeffrey McMurray, special for USATODAY.com • Start early. Companies aren't usually interested in interviewing freshmen or sophomores for positions they can't fill for two years, but it is never too early to make that first contact. If you know what is out there by your junior year, you can spend senior year honing your search. • Don't look for a job until you find a career. Before looking for specific companies, decide on a line of work. Job fairs and written assessments are ways of finding a match for your skills. •Before companies interview you, interview them. Informational interviewing can be an effective early step in the career search. Call a company in a field that interests you and request an informal interview. Talk to as many representatives at the company as possible, expanding your web of contacts. This exercise will better inform you about the companies, and perhaps lay the groundwork for them to interview you later. • Who you know is as important as what you know. The methods may have changed, but old-fashioned networking is key to landing a dream job. Networking shouldn't be limited to the people you know well or those in your field of interest. Tell virtually everyone you meet about the skills you have and the type of job you're seeking. Ask if they know anybody who would be a good contact, and take copious notes in a small notebook you carry with you. People want to help, but only if they're asked. • Befriend the people who work at your school's career-placement center. Virtually every college or university and many individual degree programs have offices whose sole purpose is to help you find a job. These centers usually learn about the hot openings, schedule campus interviews and make early connections. Many students wait until days before graduation to stop by, when the centers are flooded with panicked job seekers. Visit as a freshman, and let the counselors know your interests. Stop in occasionally and, as a senior, make the placement center your second home. • An internship is like a job interview that lasts three months. Nothing looks better on a resume than "been there, done that." Companies pluck employees from their pool of summer interns. In fact, firms often design internships as a recruiting method, while also helping students develop marketable skills. Freshmen and sophomores should pursue internship possibilities with the same aggressiveness as seniors pursue employment. Apply just as you would for a job, with a resume and cover letter tailored to the company's needs. • Accept the interview, even if you don't want the job. One of the first things companies look for in a prospective employee is the ability to communicate. Most people aren't born with these skills, so practice is essential. When recruiters come to campus, sign up for every possible interview session you can — even if it's with a company you don't want to work for. The career-placement center usually offers practice sessions. Better to drop the ball in practice than during the game. • Employers are more interested in your skills than fancy fonts or colorful resumes. Students usually slave over the appearance of their resumes, often letting the contents slip. Resumes should be clean and professional, but a basic look will do. Many companies scan resumes into a computer and search for specific skills they're seeking. It's far more important to highlight your skills, education and work experience. Unless you're applying for a position as a designer, use the cover letter to showcase your personality. • Companies won't read a book about you, but they might skim a letter. Prepare a cover letter that lets your personality shine for employers in a few words. Your goal is to get them to look at your attached resume A cover letter shouldn't be a narrative of your resume, but should briefly list the highlights and express your personality. Always include your contact information and tell them when you'll follow up with a phone call. Then, do as you promised and follow up. • Keep applying until you run out of time or money. Students often spend too much time thinking about the strategy of a job search when they could be searching. There are differing schools of thought on whether a few specifically-targeted letters with follow-up phone calls are more effective than a bulk mailing of hundreds of generic resumes. If you have the money and time, try both approaches, but make sure your dream company doesn't get a specific letter and the version mailed in bulk. Keep a list of the actions you take with specific companies, and don't make promises to call or send more information when you can't follow through. Until you land that dream job, keep those applications rolling. • If you don't land your dream job, aim for something close. Even in times of economic prosperity, not every college student can land the job they want. In tough times, even fewer will. However, a college degree in a specific field can put you in the running for something close. Rather than take a fallback job to pay the bills, for a little less money you could accept a position closer to your goal. Don't lose sight of why you chose the course of study you did and what you want to do in your career. Find this article at: http://www.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/workplace/firstjob/2002-11-08-search-tips_x.htm Something New Called Focus 2! Focus 2 is a new program here with Career Services! We are very excited about it. It helps you decide what your major should be! OR if you have a job you want it tells you what major would be best! FOCUS-2 is a self-guided, online career and education planning tool for use by college students.  It will enable you to assess your interests, values, skills, personality, and aspirations as they relate to careers and college majors.  FOCUS-2 is designed to help you choose the best major for you and explore occupations that match your profile.  Students who use FOCUS-2 make better decisions about their goals and plans and learn how to manage their careers. Be sure to check it out today! Etiquette Tip of the Week: If you are holding a cocktail (or a mocktail) at a networking event or reception and there is a skinny, little straw in your drink, do not try to sip through that tiny little hole.  That is a stir stick for stirring your drink, not a straw for sipping.  Never place a used stir stick or a toothpick from an hors d'oeuvre back on a tray with food. Hold it in your napkin until you find the appropriate place to discard it. (A trash can, not in the base of a nearby plant.  Definitely not between the cushions of the furniture.) As you know, it’s polite to give credit where credit is due. Thus these tips are from www.cultureandmanners.com Events for the Week: 4/8 Murphy Hoffman Company Info Session 4/10 2010 KC/STL Charter Schools Job Fair - KC 4/17 Bright Future Employment Fair 4/28 International Career Fair Quote from the Office: Mr. Feeny: Dream, try and do good. Topanga: Don't you mean "do well?" Mr. Feeny: No, I mean do good.