InfoAnda - Chicago Area Graduates Look To Expand Their Horizons As Job Market Tightens

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Home | News Briefs | U.S. | World | Celeb Buzz | Entertainment | Sports | Business | Health | Sci / Tech | Politics | Weird & Offbeat Chicago Area Graduates Look To Expand Their Horizons As Job Market Tightens May 15, 2009 2:01 p.m. EST --- Advertisment --- Julie Farby - AHN Reporter Chicago, IL (AHN) - For the 2.3 million students graduating from college this year, the job market will undoubtedly be competitive, as the global economic crunch forces companies to downsize and the job market, in general, to take a hit. As a result of the contraction, opportunities for employment are perhaps scarcer than past years, but that doesn't mean there's nothing out there---you just have to know where to look. There has been much buzz on college campuses, particularly among graduating seniors, about the murky job market and its effects on their career plans. In just one year, the unemployment rate for 20- to 24-year-olds increased by 4.7%, and with 2.3 million students graduating from college this year, many find this to be disconcerting. The Chicago-Naperville-Jolie Metropolitan area unemployment rate has risen substantially in the last year. According to the Bureau of labor statistics, the unemployment rate has risen from 5.7% in February 2008 to 9.2% in February 2009. However, this does not mean that there's nothing out there-as many graduating seniors have found out. If you approach your job search strategically and realistically, there is still ample opportunity to land a good job. "I think the most important thing to keep in mind is that this is your first job," says Sarah, who graduated this spring from the University of Wisconsin--Madison. Sarah had always wanted to go into real estate after college but recognized early that this may not be the best field to shoot for in the current economic situation. "I know that a lot of real estate agents work now almost 100% on commission, which is obviously not a good situation for a recent graduate who doesn't have much money saved." She also knows that sales experience is crucial for a job in real estate. "I decided to broaden my search and apply to sales jobs in a variety of fields. Next week I have an interview with a conference company for sponsorship sales, and last week I had an interview with an insurance company. Neither are jobs that I would want to do long term, but I'm confident that with good sales experience, in a few years it will be easier to get the job I always wanted." Sarah's ability to adapt to the current economic situation requires a certain amount of optimism and foresight, two qualities college graduates should try to keep in mind when doing their search. "I already had an interview with one real estate company and continue to apply to real estate jobs, but I recognize that this is a sector that many people are interested in, and that for one reason or another, I may lose the job to someone else right now. I think it's better to have a job and start getting experience than waiting for the perfect job," Sarah said. For others, the economic downturn has had less of an impact on their prospects. David Miller, a Syracuse graduate, recently got an offer from ESPN.com writing for their website. David has known since his freshman year what he wanted to do, and has had many relevant internships, contributed to blogs while in school and tried to make contacts in the sports world. "I realize how lucky I am getting this job. Especially in Chicago where there are tons of college educated job seekers and not so many open positions. Another advantage of my job is that it is internet based and there is still a lot of demand in this area." Nevertheless are those who are more affected by the economic situation than David and Sarah. Heather Jefferies, a University of Illinois at Champaign graduate, has wanted to go to law school since she was 12. However, due to the surge in applications this year, she did not get admitted to any schools she applied to, even though she attended a good school where she got high grades and did well on her LSAT. "I was very surprised that I did not get admitted, even to any of my safety schools. At first it was very discouraging and I considered giving up my dream and just working for my dad. But then I thought, what if I can get a job at a law firm for now?" Heather looked for jobs on Monster, Career Builder and Craigslist but there were few jobs she was qualified for, and those she thought she had enough experience for didn't respond to her resume. "I decided to find a list of all law firms in Chicago. I went to the website of every firm, and looked at their job openings. I was shocked how many jobs there were that weren't posted on any of the major job sites. I wound up finding an administrative assistant job at a small law firm-they didn't even have job postings on their site, but I called and they said to send a resume. Two weeks later I got an offer." The experiences of these three recent graduates should provide inspiration for those who are having trouble finding a job. However, they all acknowledged that many of their friends were not as lucky. "I have a lot of friends who wanted to go into finance," said Sarah, "and not one of them has gotten an offer in Chicago. The one who did had to move to Houston because that was the only place he got an offer." The recurring theme for success is flexibility. Recent college graduates have an advantage in that they do not look for very high salaries, and most do not have to support families or make mortgage payments. Though it is not easy, with perseverance and creativity, many graduates will be able to find something for the time being. As David perfectly summed up, "The key is not to get discouraged. "The only friends of mine who are having real issues are those who are not very motivated or easily discouraged. They apply to five jobs, have three interviews and then take it personally that they don't get an offer. I have three or four friends who are living at home and waiting for the right job but I keep telling them to expand their horizons-that they may have to do something they don't like for a little, but the economy will inevitably get better and it will be better to have experience than a blank resume." Copyright © 2003 - 2009 AHN - All rights reserved.Redistribution, republication. syndication, rewriting or broadcast is prohibited without the prior written consent of AHN.License AHN news for your website, business, digital signage network or publication. 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