GEN Y Goes to Work

I am a student at Old Dominion University. I spoke to numerous individuals who recently graduated in May. Most students had no idea what the future held for them. After investing $64,000 dollars (double that for out-of-state tuition) and four years of their lives, I believe students deserve more than a piece of paper in their hands when they walk across the stage. After all, one of the reasons we attend college is to enhance our chances of joining the marketplace in a favorable position, right? Well, according to a Forbes article, 48% of college graduates will obtain a job that does not require a four year degree. I believe that percentage is astronomically high, especially when one takes into account the aforementioned college tuition at a public state school, a mere discount compared to the price tag at some universities. I believe action needs to be taken to combat both the rise in college expenditures and the deterioration of worthwhile jobs for fresh university graduates. Although in this post, I will only discuss how, as students, we can improve our chances of becoming successfully employed within six months of graduation.

After reading the Forbes article, it is safe to say that college students are flipping a coin with regards to meaningful post-grad employment. But is the volatile nature of the job market the single influencing factor in the drop in young professional employment? I certainly believe it plays a large part in the decline, but there are other factors to consider. Speaking from experience, the worst problem I see within my peers is that they do not give themselves a fighting chance.

Too often undergraduates pass on the “extras” that college offers them. These extracurricular activities allow one to build small, but invaluable skills such as teamwork and emotional intelligence. More importantly, with regards to employment, these capabilities demonstrate how an employer can benefit from having one on their team. For that reason, when students join groups, clubs, or Greek life they increase their chances of becoming employed because it shows that they can work well with others.

Another critical point is GPA. GPA demonstrates one’s work ethic and is a measuring stick for employers when evaluating applicants and comparing students against each other. I suggest keeping the GPA around 3.5 to give oneself a fighting chance with the job you desire.

Lastly, the mysterious “networking” advantage. If a student’s father is a managing director for Goldman Sachs, I am sure that he or she would not have a difficult time securing a job. Unfortunately, for most of us, the previous example is not a reality. Therefore, we must find other ways to connect with people. LinkedIn is an awesome tool for connecting with other professionals within your desired field(s). USE IT! There is a cool feature, “Find Alumni,” under the “Connections” tab that is particularly helpful; it allows one to find his or her school’s alumni who work in various professions. Although LinkedIn is an awesome resource, do not devalue the importance of interpersonal relationships. Ultimately, one has to work with people, so the best networking tool is people! Converse with professors, family, and friends, they are knowledgeable and have several resources in their arsenal, which can help land you a job.

As previously mentioned, there are numerous factors that influence the job market, some of which are out of our control, but hopefully after reading this post you will be in a better position to build your future career! Good luck!