If you believed early media reports that companies in 2009 would be hiring the same number of graduates they did in 2008, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. Turns out hiring for the Class of 2009 isn’t going to be flat afterall. It’s going to take a major nosedive. According to the NACE Job Outlook 2009 Spring Update survey, companies expect to hire 22% fewer graduates than last year. That’s 1/5 of the total number of jobs that would have been available last year. According to the AP, there are 2 million available jobs right now, and 1.5 million college students expected to graduate in May. Now add all the experienced professionals who have been laid off, plus stay-at-home moms re-entering the workforce, small business owners closing shop and looking for a steady paycheck.
The downturn in hiring affects all regions of the US, but the Northeast and West are the hardest hit. Companies that are hiring have indicated they will hire many less graduates than last year. So, if you’re planning to graduate this May you need to start planning your job search now. You can wait until after mid-terms are over, but no more excuses for putting it off after that.
So, here are the 20 Things Grads Need to Know to Boost Their Job Search Mojo!
Realities for the job market this year (and every year):
- No one owes you anything, even if you did just pay your way through school. For every one of you, there’s about 100 others who did that and more to get to exactly the same spot you are today.
- There’s always someone else out there who wants it more than you do. You are competing with that person for every single job you apply for this year.
- Only the top candidates are going to get hired. (What does a top candidate look like?)
- Grades will matter to some companies more than others.
- Work experience gained during internships will be expected.
- If you haven’t started thinking about what you want to do when you graduate you’re in trouble.
- Hard work is the only true path to success. Finding a job takes hard work.(There is no such thing as a hidden job market! There are jobs companies only advertise internally though.)
- Social networking is not the ticket to job offers for everyone
- Companies want grads who know how to sell; even for non-sales jobs.
- Knowing how to communicate is a critical skill for getting hired.
To improve your chances of getting hired you need:
- A resume
- A good understanding of your transferable skills
- An understanding of what you’re good at and what you enjoy
- A commitment to your job search
- The ability to set goals effectively (simply writing goals down isn’t even close to doing this the right way)
- Conversations with as many people as possible
- An open-mind and creativity
- Tenacity
- People who will recommend you and be a reference for you
- Confidence in yourself (This is where fake it ’till you make it applies…not on your resume)
On April 2nd at 9am CST I’m hosting a free webinar to discuss these issues and other topics related to career planning. If you haven’t started planning for life outside of college yet, you can’t afford to miss this free 30-minute presentation. Click here to register and submit a question you’d like answered during the presentation.
