How new grads can land a job after college, even as employers cut back on Class of 2024 hires
Those
armed
with
a
newly
minted
diploma
are
entering a
job
market
that
looks
a
little
less
promising
than
it
did
one
year
ago.
Employers
plan
to
hire
about
5.8%
fewer
new
college
graduates
from
this
year’s
class
than
they
hired
from
the
Class
of
2023,
according
to
a
report
from
the
National
Association
of
Colleges
and
Employers.
Some
companies,
in
industries
such
as
chemical
manufacturing,
finance,
insurance
and
real
estate,
have
pulled
back
after
scaling
up
last
year,
according
to
NACE.
The
decline
follows
a
historic
hiring
boom
in
the
aftermath
of
the
pandemic,
the
report
found,
suggesting
that
this
year’s
dip
reflects
a
return
to “normal”
hiring
plans.
However,
there
are
still
pockets
of
growth,
mainly
in
miscellaneous
manufacturing,
utilities
and
professional
services,
NACE
also
found.
More
from
Personal
Finance:
New
grads
may
have
a
harder
time
landing
their
dream
job
Here’s
why
entry-level
jobs
feel
impossible
to
get
Now
hiring: ‘New-collar’
workers,
no
degree
necessary
In
the
current
job
market,
Vicki
Salemi,
career
expert
at
Monster,
advises
new
grads
to “stay
positive
and
optimistic.”
While
entering
the
real
world
without
an
offer
on
the
table
can
be
daunting, “they
can
upskill
or
pick
up
a
side
hustle
in
the
meantime,
continue
to
search
and
be
persistent,”
she
said.
Given
continuing
education
courses,
online
classes,
certification
programs
and
boot
camps,
there
are
more
opportunities
for
young
people
just
entering
the
workforce
to
ramp
up
their
expertise.
With
many
companies
continuing
to
offer
the
flexibility
of
hybrid
work,
there
is
also
the
added
advantage
of
being
able
to
cast
a
wider
net,
which
can
work
in
the
favor
of
someone
just
starting
out.
“In
terms
of
the
quality
and
quantity,
they
can
pursue
jobs
beyond
the
constraints
of
a
particular
zip
code,”
Salemi
said.
Top
tips
for
job
seekers
Recent
or
soon-to-be
grads
can
also
stay
ahead
of
their
competition
by
networking
with
parents,
professors,
family
friends,
classmates,
neighbors,
community
groups
and
an
extensive
alumni
network,
both
in
person
and
on
platforms
like
LinkedIn,
according
to
Ivan
Misner,
the
founder
of
business
networking
organization
BNI.com.
“Sometimes,
even
weak
ties
can
lead
to
valuable
job
referrals,”
he
said.
But
first,
clean
up
your
online
presence,
even
on
platforms
you
consider
more
for
fun
than
networking,
Misner
cautioned.
“Take
down
those
pictures
of
you
partying
at
a
frat
house,”
he
said. “Potential
employers
review
online
profiles,
so
make
sure
yours
reflects
positively
on
you
—
and
you
don’t
want
to
make
your
network
look
bad
if
they
recommend
you.”
Once
you
have
a
foot
in
the
door,
offer
to
do
a “working
interview,”
he
advised,
to
best
showcase
your
skills
and
abilities.
“Say, ‘if
there
is
a
project,
bring
me
in,
let
me
show
you
what
I
can
do'”
—
that
strategy
works
because
very
few
people
offer
to
do
this,
Misner
said. “That
makes
you
stand
out
and
they
are
going
to
remember
you.”
Comments are closed.