Job market still weak for seniors

The job market for this year's seniors remains as weak as last year's, as companies maintain scaled back recruitment, University Career Services officials said.

Though 65 companies came to campus to recruit seniors this year — fewer than the 110 companies that sought University seniors three years ago — Career Services is projecting this year's senior employment rate to be slightly higher or roughly equal to last year.

"Generally speaking, it is the same as last year," assistant director of Career Services Rebecca Ross said.

Despite the job boom that occurred four years ago, companies have been scaling back in the last two years in response to the economic downturn, Ross said.

Last year, seniors experienced a 27-percent drop in job offers, said Beverly Chandler, director of Career Services. Chandler said the lull found the University in a more comfortable position than most, as the national rate fell 40 percent.

Higher education

Because of the poor job market, more students this year are turning toward higher education as an alternate, Ross said. Career Services has also noticed a strong increase in applicants to graduate school, she said.

"The number of people that took the LSATs last October was the highest ever," Ross said.

However, Ross warned that seniors should not immediately turn to graduate school because of the tight job market.

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"If you want a job, you should focus on seeking employment," Ross said. However, if students want to go to graduate school but are still interested in obtaining employment, they should try to keep options open, she added.

Seniors are further advised to stay engaged in the search even as the end of the year approaches.

"Students assume that if you don't get a job in December, you won't get one at all," Chandler said, assuring that this is not true. Chandler said companies continue to fill positions on a rolling basis, sometimes hiring as late as July.

Fewer campus visits

In comparison to the mid-to-late 1990s, some companies are slashing recruitment efforts by limiting the number of campuses they visit, Chandler said. Fewer college visits generally means fewer positions a company is looking to actively fill and also reflects attempts to cut back on travel expenses.

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Career services tries to help seniors monitor the pulse of the job market by providing them with frequent updates, Chandler said. Students are advised to constantly check their email for news about job opportunities and upcoming recruitment efforts, she said.

While stagnation continues to trouble many area, some fields are experiencing limited growth.

"The government health care sectors are stronger but business and technology remain the same," Ross said.

Promising sectors

Government jobs continue to fare well in the market, with the Department of State's recent announcement that it is looking to fill about 500 positions, Chandler said.

Students considering the education field may also find a strong base of opportunities, Ross said. There are many special teaching fellow programs for graduating students — even those without teaching certificates, she said.

While some seniors continue to feel pressure as the possibility of unemployment looms ahead, others have found success with the resources available.

"Basically I used the career services website, Tiger Tracks, which worked really well," Adam Schwartz '03 said. "I actually wound up with a job offer from Citadel, where I interned two years ago."