There is positive job-market news for college grads
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Justin Stadelmyer, 20, a Duquesne University finance major, has lined up several great internships. "You have to put yourself in a position to give yourself options," he said.
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If there's only one job for a prospective college graduate in this sluggish economy, Justin Stadelmyer intends to land it.
The 20-year-old finance major at Duquesne University has done everything he can to burnish his resume: attending networking events and job fairs, holding a range of finance-related offices in Duquesne's student government and lining up great internships, including one with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and another this coming summer with PNC Financial Services.
"You get the internship, then you have value to bring to the table," the upbeat junior from Mars says.
After two years of grim job forecasts, many other college graduates are undoubtedly thinking along similar lines. It's not enough to have a diploma, they've come to realize; employers now look at applicants' work and life experiences, as well as their talent and communication skills.
"I feel like companies are more selective, so you have to be more aggressive about what you do," said Mr. Stadelmyer. "You have to put yourself in a position to give yourself options."
The good news is that options are making a comeback.
Both national surveys and local career placement officials say the market for new college graduates seems to be reviving, if only incrementally for majors such as liberal arts.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers says a poll of employers shows the job market for new college grads "continues to show improvement" and has increased significantly from a year ago.
Another employer survey, done at Michigan State University, found that "despite the gloomy national labor market situation, the college segment is poised to rebound this year," with the biggest U.S. gains in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions.
That's us, folks.
The pollsters concluded that hiring of applicants with a bachelor's degree is expected to increase by 10 percent this coming year, based on their survey of 4,600 employers, with the most promising areas being in manufacturing, professional and scientific services, the federal government and large commercial banks.
First Published December 29, 2010 12:00 am
