As the end of the school year draws to a close, many students are steeped in job applications, resumes and cover letters. For seniors, especially, graduation means entering the real world, which requires a job.
Unfortunately, the job hunt in Arizona is less than appealing. Many have found themselves in a situation akin to a hamster running a wheel — myself included.
According to The Washington Post, there are still sectors hiring amid the recession. Health care, engineering and software design are among the hot spots.
When I read the paper’s March 4 article, I was encouraged by the fact that it included espionage — noting agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency — among the hot-spot sectors. This generally includes support positions, for which I am qualified.
I have spent most spare moments since August looking for government jobs. Just about any vacancy for which I was remotely qualified has received an application and carefully tailored cover letter.
However, reading the Post article lowered most of my hope of getting any of these jobs.
The article explains that many of these jobs are going to those who were laid off from their jobs because they have extensive work experience, even if it is only tangentially related to the position.
This means that a 45-year-old man who was laid off from a bank and has 20 years of experience will be higher on the list of hirable candidates than me.
That does not bode well for college graduates.
Many students are graduating college this year (ASU alone is expected to graduate about 8,000 students). Many more are searching for jobs because of cuts in scholarships and other funding.
If firms will not hire graduating students, even for entry-level positions, what is the benefit of going to college and getting a degree?
School districts are drastically cutting funding, which includes teaching positions. New teaching graduates will have even more difficulty than usual getting jobs.
Even nursing jobs, which usually are easily obtained because of a chronic shortage, are hard to come by.
Is this how we repay our students who have spent the last four, five or six years getting a degree (or two)?
Congress will bail out the financial and automobile industries, but how about school districts, local governments and hospitals? What about retail stores and restaurants?
What about the college graduates? They are the hope for the future, or so every person who gives speeches at commencement ceremonies tells us.
It is important to help people keep their jobs, but it is just as important to make sure that people entering the workforce have something productive and meaningful to do as well.
Janne is still job-hunting. Let her know your funny job search stories at janne.gaub@asu.edu.
