Attention May graduates: Go back to school.
That is the message some University of Memphis advisers are sending the 1,650 students who intend to graduate and look for a job this summer. The economic downturn that caused hiring freezes across the United States last fall is just beginning its climb back to normal. According to Dr. David Ciscel, professor of economics at The University of Memphis, the job market has yet to see the effects of the improvement.
The fall job fair held earlier this academic year, just after Sept. 11, hosted 20 percent fewer businesses than previous years, and the spring job fair showcase hosted only about half of the normal number of recruiters.
“From what I have been told by professors and other professionals in my field, the job market is supposed to be picking up in the fall,” said Emily Blackwell, a graduating senior and public relations major. “That does not really help me for the time being because I’m graduating in May.”
Ciscel says the best thing to do is to stay out of the job market until it has regained strength.
“It looks like the economy is turning up, but it’s not clear yet,” Ciscel said. “If you get into a weak job market, your future career will be weaker.”
Although most students don’t want to hear it, Ciscel said the best thing to do while waiting for the economy to improve is to further their training or education in their area of emphasis. For many students, that means returning to school right after graduation.
“Otherwise, you risk taking a job that’s really a second choice and not really what you wanted to do,” Ciscel said.
However, U of M director of career and employment services Karen Hayes said the best thing for students to do is to get a job anywhere in the company they hope to work for.
“If you get your foot in the door, you can always work your way up,” Hayes said.
Ciscel warned that jobs in the logistics sector would be the hardest to come by for students graduating in May.
“The number of available jobs through companies such as Federal Express will not be as high as students usually expect them to be,” said Ciscel. “That will be an area students will have a hard time penetrating.”
According to Hayes, areas where hiring has been least affected include technical jobs and business management areas. She recommended getting into retail or merchandising businesses for new graduates. Ciscel emphasized the stability, in Memphis, of the healthcare market.
“Not necessarily just for the healthcare majors, but also those in management and sales,” said Ciscel. “The healthcare arena in Memphis is not growing rapidly, but it is definitely stable and a good area to look for a job.”
Hayes said that the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows that the South has the greatest hiring strength of anywhere in the nation, with statistics indicating that southern employers intend to increase hiring by 33.6 percent this year. Finding jobs in the western U.S. will be the hardest, according to Hayes.
Hayes said that the federal government will be hiring a large number of graduates in the technical and business fields this spring.
“By 2005, 30 percent of current government employees will be retiring, leaving a lot of jobs to fill,” Hayes said.
The FDIC and the IRS are two agencies that Hayes said will be hiring new graduates.
“I would encourage students to continue their education if they have a hard time finding a job,” Hayes said, “Don’t give up. Things will be better by fall.”
