By: Alvina Lopez
Take a look through the news clippings from 2009 and you’ll find a plethora of articles about the national economic recession that put many hard workers out of jobs they’ve held for years. Skilled professionals were losing their jobs left and right as businesses were forced to cut back expenses in order to stay afloat. Yet, the recession affected more than just the employed – it also hit many recent college graduates hard. Approximately one year later, the employment opportunity prognosis for 2010’s batch of college graduates is still grim, but luckily, there is also proof of improvement.
The hiring rate for last year’s college graduates was at its lowest in decades, plummeting approximately 40% since the economy grinded to a halt, according to CNN Money. Graduates found themselves competing with newly jobless professionals for positions, making it tough for employers to choose a relatively inexperienced college student over a professional who has an ample amount of experience and time-earned skills. Many graduates found themselves unemployed for months. The employment trend indicates that this year’s graduates may go through the same rocky transition into the professional world, but those who know where to look may not have to settle for unemployment or part-time work for long.
While the majority of large and popular companies are still on a hiring freeze, there are numerous small businesses looking to take on more staff. This is a great opportunity for college graduates to break into the work force. Small businesses are also usually less anonymous and more intimate than large businesses any way, enabling employees to work closely with higher ups in all sorts of projects. This means that there is also a greater chance of bosses recognizing the hard work that a college graduate employee is doing, thereby increasing the chances of the graduate gaining more responsibilities and trust. Of course, the employment prospects for college graduates also depend on their field of study. In particular, the health care and environmental industries should be doing well in hiring new graduates because these fields are rapidly growing, making it more likely for graduates to land jobs even when competing with professionals.
All in all, the job outlook is still not as great as it could be for this year’s college graduates, but the odds are not impossible to overcome. Instead of solely looking for employment with the biggest companies in the country, graduates can increase their chances of jumpstarting their careers by looking in smaller local businesses for job opportunities. With perseverance and an open mind, even college graduates can succeed as the economy lethargically kicks back into gear.
This guest post is contributed by Alvina Lopez, who writes on the topics of accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her e-mail Id: alvina.lopez@gmail.com.
