This semester has been an exciting, yet nerve racking one for me. Exciting because I will be graduating this May, but nerve racking because of the scarceness of jobs and the struggling economy I will have to deal with, once I’m done. The fear of not finding a job after graduation is something that I, along with several other graduating seniors need to get around, by finding alternatives. However, since my degree is in print journalism and my minor in professional writing, the competition for me to find a job, seems even higher. In fact many of my professors have already begun offering us alternative opportunities, such as paid internships that could eventually lead to a full-time job.
However, although I agree that internships are a great experience, and sometimes do get students hired, lately it seems that most of the ones available are unpaid, because the companies can’t afford to pay them. Therefore, even though it might still be a good place to start, what about those students who need the money for rent, gas, food, and other expenses? How can they possibly make it on an unpaid internship without having to find another job on the side? Working multiple jobs is not an easy thing to do.
In my case, I decided to do some research and learn all my options and everything I could do with my degree, regardless if it fit into my original plan. I have talked to advisors, people already in the job market, and will also be going to talk to the career center here at UNM. In my opinion, doing all of these things will offer a wider perspective on things, and hopefully provide the encouragement needed.
With unemployment rates increasing, it is also a good idea to be aware of which states have more opportunities, and which ones have less. Especially for those students who are planning to live in another state. I’ve began to realize, that what this struggle in the job market really comes down to, is which career you’re actually going into. In other words, if you’re a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, etc, there will always be more job openings. In fact with my degree, one of the alternatives that I have been looking into is to get my teaching license in secondary education and possibly help run a school paper.
Now don’t get me wrong, other careers also have opportunities open, however, they are naturally more competitive and therefore harder to get. Nevertheless, I’ve learned that there are always ways to overcome the weakness of the current job market, by simply having the determination to find alternatives and grabbing a hold of every opportunity available. It never hurts to have more then one plan, especially with an intimidating job market, and constant layoff announcements all over the news.
Some of the most productive things that I’ve learned to do before searching for a job is to make sure to have an updated resume and a portfolio of previous work. Some classes even make it mandatory to turn in a resume as an assignment, which is helpful because it allows students to get feedback. However, I would highly recommend to other students, who have not been required to turn one in, ask for feedback anyway. Most professors are willing to help in any way that they can. And it is crucial to make yourself look good to a potential employer, in any way possible. For example, if a student has their heart set on a particular job, contacting that company and showing persistence could pay off. Most of the time, starting off small and working your way up is another alternative in a struggling job market.
Through my experience, and finding ways to get around the job markets’ worst downfall, I have discovered that it is all the little things that make the difference. Being resourceful and finding information online, talking to people, applying for internships, learning about the economic status of the companies you’re interested in, and preparing your resume and portfolio, are all things that can help you find a job faster. With a competitive job market, students who are graduating this semester, including myself, need to be aggressive in achieving our goals. Having confidence is key to being successful, and right now graduating seniors’ need all the confidence we can get if we’re going to be successful in today’s working world.
Our nations struggling economy has affected me, personally very much. I graduate this semester with a degree in advertising. I though I had everything planned out last year, I was making great grades, I was working for a great company that I was advancing in very quickly. My big plan was to get my degree and eventually work for my company’s corporate headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. As most of us know, in March Circuit City closed the remaining 600+ stores that were still open. It felt as if my world was crashing down upon me. I had worked there for nearly five years and my plans were already in the works, I was to move to VA in July and get paid very well for working in Circuit City’s marketing department, a company that I truly enjoyed working for. But in those five years I gained a wealth of knowledge about teamwork, integrity, leadership and many other qualities that any employer would be happy to have in an employee. This all happened a little over a month ago, I am currently collecting unemployment and I currently have an unpaid internship. So for me a graduating student who still needs a roof over my head, transportation and food to eat, I am doing just fine. I am getting paid and gaining experience with a potential future employer. As a former manager of the second largest consumer electronics company I can say that having an up-to-date resume that has no flaws in it is extremely important.
ReplyDelete