With graduation looming and real life creeping in, the big question on any graduating senior's mind is "What now?" Unless soon-to-be grads have amazing luck or fabulous networking skills, the majority of them do not have a full-time job lined up for after graduation. Most will tell you that they have already begun searching for a job or have decided to take the summer off and begin the job search at the beginning of autumn. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), "the labor market for young college graduates, those ages 25 to 35, is slowly improving, but remains much weaker than before the last recession in 2001." "It has been 20 years since young college graduates have experienced employment rates as low as those experienced in the last five years," cited the EPI. However, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) surveyed employers and found the expectation for hiring recent college graduates is up 18 percent from last year. One option that seems to be gaining popularity among recent college graduates is the idea of a post-graduation internship or short-term job. Both options are a way for recent grads to recuperate after four (or five) years of intense study and search for a steady job while gaining experience for future jobs. "I didn't take advantage of internships while in college so I thought the best thing was to gain some experience in a new city before beginning an actual job so I can get a feel for the actual work place," said Ohio University video production senior Devonna Dickey, who is pursuing internship opportunities in Virginia Beach after graduation. Otterbein College music education senior Renee Garcia said she applied to graduate schools as a back-up option. "I've applied for five or six jobs and I haven't had any interviews yet," said Garcia. "I think that patience is needed because a lot of the time the interview process has nothing to do with me because there are so many factors that go into selection. Most of the time I feel like there's nothing I can do to make myself more qualified." The Ohio Department of Education Web site lists a total of nine music education jobs available. Garcia says there are between 10-15 music education majors graduating from Otterbein alone. "Either you get to go teach in the middle of nowhere or you teach in another state. There are no jobs in central Ohio." Other students have had a little bit more luck. In the first job she applied for, senior public relations major Chanel Smith was interviewed and hired. Entering into a not-so-stellar job market, About.com offers a few helpful hints and tips to get soon-to-be college grads started in the real world. 1) Start the search before graduation. Although graduation is a few weeks away, now is the time to jump on the employment wagon because application and interview processes can be lengthy. 2) Use your network. Everyone's heard the saying, "It's not about what you know, but who you know." There is an amount of truth to that statement, so make sure to utilize your personal network and alumni networking through the college. 3) Consider an internship or short-term work experience. This way recent graduates who are still unsure about career direction are able to get their feet wet and gain valuable experience. Otterbein College Center for Career Planning helps prepare grads for the workforce. Find more information at otterbein.edu/resources/CDC/CDC.asp. t&c;
Work force hard on grads
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