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news
Jobs
still there, just harder to find
By Kristen Force
On-line Forty-Niner
Students not fortunate
enough to already have a job waiting for them after graduation
should not despair because jobs are still available for students
who know where and how to look.
"[The job market] is more challenging now, but opportunities
are there," said Carol Brown-Elston, career counselor
at the Career Development Center. "They are just harder
to find and students may need to be more flexible."
Students seeking careers after graduation need to have multiple
plans in order to have more options, recommended Brown-Elston.
Identifying as many prospects as possible will aid in the
job search.
A student's situation can play a large role in how fast a
job is found. If a person still lives with his or her parents
or is financially supported by them, there may not be the
immediate pressure to find a long-term job.
Students on their own feel the urgency of finding a job and
may not have the leisure of waiting until just the right thing
comes along. This can result in moving more quickly to find
a job or driving a longer distance.
The areas of computer and finance have the most opportunities
for graduates, according to a study at Ohio State University.
Students hoping to enter the professions of physical therapy
and law may have more difficulty finding jobs.
It is important to remember that employers are not only interested
in the degree received, Brown-Elston said. One does not have
to be a computer information systems major to get a computer-related
job if he or she has knowledge about computers and is a good
writer.
"Students need to market their overall education, not
just the major," she said.
Workshops, community involvement, work experience and internships
are important things to tell a future employer.
These activities can show that a student has worked to develop
skills, gain experience and even prepared for the job search
early.
Many internships can lead to jobs after college. If a company
is familiar with you and you have already established a good
reputation as a capable, hard worker, there is often a good
chance of being hired on as a full-time employee.
Some ways to increase the likelihood of finding a job include
considering the public sector instead of private companies
and small to midsize companies instead of large corporations.
Gaining some experience in the field can greatly benefit a
person when he or she is ready to advance to a larger company
or wishes to earn a higher salary.
Flexibility is the key to finding a job after graduation,
said Brown-Elston. Many people end up in a job that has little
or no relation to their major and that can turn into a long-term
career.
Do not exclude anything just because you did not specifically
earn a degree in that field or you think finding a job is
too difficult, Brown-Elston advised.
While teaching and nursing both have strong markets, jobs
are not guaranteed in these areas. Even though there is a
serious need, not all organizations can support a larger staff.
If a graduate is certain the work force is not for them just
yet, graduate school is also an option.
The Career Development Center encourages all students to come
to the center to receive assistance in their job search.
The center can help with resumes, interviewing techniques
with mock-interviews and assessing skills so students can
be aware of what opportunities are available to them.
"Some students are just unsure how to articulate the
skills they have," Brown-Elston said. "We can help
them to be aware of what skills are marketable and how they
can be most effective in an interview."
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