The College-to-Career Path, Part 1 — Seven Reasons it’s Broken

Most graduates expect to find a job within their degree field upon graduating a higher education institution. Students cannot always predict their career path so they rely on information from online content, parents, student peer-groups, and occasionally college counselors.

That’s why the current rate of unemployment among recent college graduates remains a topic for concern. After spending the bulk of their time and money to earn their degree (sometimes up to $200,000), graduates are left to figure out a path into the workforce in a somewhat haphazard manner. Skyrocketing tuition costs only add to the burden. To pay back loans, afford rising housing costs and make ends meet, many grads take part-time positions or jobs outside their degree field, leaving them feeling unfulfilled and frustrated.

In July 2018, the number of unemployed recent college graduates topped 4.1 percent, up just 2 percent from July 2017. Mass media grads top the unemployment chart at 7.4 percent compared to medical technicians at a 0.9 percent rate.

This broken college-to-career path can be attributed to a number of reasons, including:

• The size and makeup of companies have changed. More companies are recruiting fewer students or fresh graduates. Many full-time jobs are now part-time (without benefits or health care insurance) and many are low-paying, with some grads earning only minimum wage. Students are taking whatever they can get until they figure out what to do next. This trend toward freelancing or the “gig economy” will likely continue in certain fields.
• Workplaces hire for in-demand jobs or temporary positions. Jobs that are in-demand today may not be in-demand tomorrow. Some companies rely on hiring last-minute or temporary workers to fill-in or join an on-call talent pool. Either way, graduates are unprepared to fill these roles on a permanent basis, if at all.
• Many companies have raised the bar of job requirements. In recent years, many companies are increasingly demanding that job applicants have better qualifications than the person working alongside them and performing the same job. This can mean a higher degree, but it also means specific technical skills. This is forcing recent grads to jump outside of their comfort zone and learn new skills or lose out on good jobs. In 2015, 67 percent of job postings for supervisors of production workers required a college degree, but only 16 percent of current production workers held a degree at all.
• The so-called skills gap means that college graduates are taking jobs not related to their skill-set. Because many students are graduating in one field, but finding work in an entirely different field, learning a variety of skills is increasingly valuable. So, gaining confidence, joining clubs or interning, speaking up in class and networking while still in college may help you overcome hurdles to success.
• College graduates lack confidence regarding their readiness to enter the workplace. Imagine spending four or five years earning your college degree only to realize your major may not lead to a good job or that you graduated without the knowledge necessary to be successful. Unfortunately, this mindset is common. Only 53 percent of all grads believe graduating in their major will result in getting a good job, and only one-third think they have the knowledge or skills necessary to perform their job.
• College graduates fear they cannot or will not adequately showcase their skills or knowledge to prospective employers. It’s not an understatement to say the workplace is competitive. Add a slow economy, hiring and wage freezes, and cutbacks, and you have a disaster waiting to happen in terms of both getting and acing an interview. Companies agree that most students do not have confidence in their abilities, lack critical thinking skills, attention to detail and writing proficiency. Conversely, many grads think if they miss one interview, another will be coming along soon and that the skills necessary for one job can be learned on-the-job. Unfortunately, they are mistaken. Companies want to hire students at the top of their game so training is kept to a minimum.
• College graduates lack confidence when it comes to networking. Besides the he “Awareness Gap” also exists — the inability for graduates to make employers aware of their skills. Both are important when it comes to networking. A graduate’s network can provide self-reliance, boldness, and personal and professional connections, and is an essential part of your job search.

In Part 2, I will suggest six ways that students can get around the broken onboarding path from college to career.