A new poll just released by the Society for Human Resources Management shows a bleak outlook for recent college graduates. The economy is so tough that our strengths and weakness are ranked the same, and we go nowhere.
When asked what advantages recent graduates have in the job search, nearly 30% of HR professionals said “they are seeking entry-level positions and that is what we are hiring for.” However, another 30% of HR professionals responded that they are not hiring for entry-level positions, which leaves us recent grads at a notable disadvantage.
The study goes on to show that, although our comfort with gadgets ranks highly on HR pros’ list of advantages, it’s often not enough to secure employment; and the reason may be that we aren’t qualified. Nearly 21% of HR pros said their company has limited resources to train recent college graduates, which means knowing your way around Facebook and a smartphone won’t be enough to land you that job.
According to Evren Esen, the manager at the Survey Research Center at the Society for Human Resource Management, “Networking is key in 2011.” That, we all already knew.
Luckily, in the first piece of good news from the study, for those lucky enough to land jobs in this climate, 76% of the positions were full-time. And for those who attended top colleges and universities, good news! Because the economic climate is so horrible for the rest of us, you will be hired first. The increased competition has made those graduates more desirable, and more hireable.
Things don’t look good for 2011 college graduates this year, and that might not change as the economy turns around. Roughly 64% of HR professionals said their company will target 2011 graduates “to a small extent” as the economy improves. Only 5% will target hiring of new graduates to “a large extent,” and 18% will do so to “some extent.”
Who are those companies that make of the 5% to “a large extent?!” I want to know who they are, and I want to apply. If I find out, I will be sure to let you know.
How do you feel about the job market? Has it been easy or difficult for you to find a position this year?
