Report shows increase in job opportunities for college graduates

Seniors still searching for a job have bright prospects on the horizon, according to a recent report.

The Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University said in its annual report released last week that there has been a 2 percent increase in job opportunities for new college graduates, from all degree levels, from last year. From 2011 to 2012, there was a 3 percent increase.

With the rise in job opportunities, more employers are coming to UNC to recruit students, said Jeff Sackaroff, UNC Career Services’ associate director.

“Based on the past fall, we had the largest turnout that I have seen since I have been here,” Sackaroff said. “There was an increase in internship seeking and an increase in interviews for students at the end of their junior year.”

Some UNC seniors say any growth, even if it’s slow, is a reason to think positively as they prepare for the job market.

“The overall job prospects are better than they have been,” said senior Jonathan Stupak. “Most companies interview dozens of candidates for a single position so jobs are still very competitive.”

Stupak said he has used career services and found it helpful in attracting large employers.

“I’ve applied to many consulting firms without UNC contacts, but the only ones I’ve heard back from were those that specifically recruit through UNC,” Stupak said. He has accepted an offer with Optimity Advisors, a consulting firm in Washington, D.C.

But despite the continued growth of the overall market, the report predicts a nearly 25 percent total decline in the hiring market for master’s of business administration graduates.

Phil Gardner, principal investigator and director of the institute, said the MBA market is heavily influenced by financial services in a time when there is uncertainty in investing — and the federal government, which hires a number of MBAs, is cutting back.

“It also depends on where you are and what the program does,” Gardner said. “If the program is highly oriented towards banking and investment banking, or they are sending a lot of graduates to the federal government, those graduates are going to be more competitive.”

Even with the rise in overall job opportunities, UNC senior Andrew Tugman said students should acknowledge that their ideal career won’t become a reality overnight.

“They should realize and be alright with the notion that their dream job might not fall into their lap as soon as they graduate,” Tugman said.

Sackaroff said he would give the same advice about job prospects whether the unemployment rate was zero or 20 percent.

“No matter what the unemployment rate is, job searching is tough — start early, maximize network, be curious and be resilient,” Sackaroff said. “Our students can rise to that challenge without a doubt. They always do.”

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