Career Corner
The Job Market for Students
It’s understandable if you’re anxious about your career-seeking graduate jumping into the workforce with the highest unemployment rates in a generation. You’ve made sacrifices to invest in your student’s future, and you only want the best for him or her.
Eric Grosso, senior economist with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, tells us that the job market will improve. According to Grosso, “The growth will be slow and protracted, but it will improve. The recovered job market will not look the same as it was before the recession, though it will benefit those who have continued their post-high school education.” Because it is an employer’s market at this time it will be important for job seekers to make themselves as marketable as possible to keep up with their competition. Here are a few tips for your students who are looking for an entry level job or internship:
Dress the part: Encourage your student to wear business-casual or business-professional attire to career fairs, information sessions, and interviews. This demonstrates that the applicant is taking the position seriously.
Do your homework: Applicants who do their research about the company and are prepared to ask questions position themselves in a more confident place as they are interviewing.
Use your resources: Refer your student to his or her department’s Career Services Center; most provide helpful workshops and seminars on resume construction and interviewing tips. These sessions offer the opportunity to practice answering common interview questions and build confidence.
Network: Encourage your student to talk with friends who currently work in an area of interest, as well as professors and teaching assistants. Others who have gone through the process for the same major might have useful tips to share. It is always a good strategy to let others know about a job search.
Get Involved: Adding additional student leadership roles, research, and experiences to a student’s resume is always valuable. Companies are looking for well-rounded people who are able to effectively communicate and assume leadership roles. It is never too late for students to join a student organization or try something different that will distinguish them from other candidates.