College grads seeking jobs: Tough times ahead?
| Friday, Jun 05 2009 06:09 PM
Last Updated Friday, Jun 05 2009 06:16 PM
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Graduating from college is supposed to be one of the most exciting times for a person.
But for this year's graduating class, the future is a little more daunting.
And with Cal State Bakersfield's graduation coming up in a week, students are starting to feel the pressure.
Less than 20 percent of 2009 graduates had found a job by springtime, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
But that's nothing new: On average, it takes graduates six to nine months to find a job, said Jane Evarian, director of Career Development at Cal State Bakersfield.
"They shouldn't expect they're going to land their first job after graduation," she said.
That has especially been true for this year's graduates.
"Unfortunately, the job search has not been particularly fruitful," said Curtis Cargill, who is graduating June 13 with a bachelor's degree in art. "With the economy the way it is, finding a good job is pretty far-fetched."
It'll be even tougher for students who just send out resumes and wait for a response. Evarian said the traditional means of applying for jobs only has a 5 percent success rate.
The key to landing jobs this year will be networking, she said.
That's what Cargill is hoping to do through his internship with CSUB's Career Development Center.
"I hope that this internship will either develop into a job opportunity or at least help me build a network of professional contacts," he said.
Besides his internship, Cargill will also keep his part-time job busing at a local restaurant.
More students are choosing to stick with their college jobs after graduation, Evarian said, "anything to pay their bills while looking for a job."
Some graduates are choosing to opt out of the job search by going to graduate school.
Soon-to-be Cal State Bakersfield graduate Nancy Solis has always planned on getting her master's in business administration. But she admits that "it is kind of a safe plan."
Solis has a summer internship with Chevron. She said she is worried about what she'll do once that ends.
And while it may seem like doom and gloom for graduates, there are some success stories. Tina Hildreth just landed a job as a credit manager for Wells Fargo.
Hildreth, who found her job through Cal State Bakersfield's career fair, said she was "extremely happy" to get her job, especially after she sent applications for numerous jobs and internships.
But for the ones not as lucky as Hildreth, they're keeping their options open. Solis said she and her friends are looking out for each other, letting each other know about possible positions.
But so far, not much has come up.
"It's exciting that now it's the real world," Solis said, "but the real job is what we're lacking."
