Preparing for a New Job or a Summer on the Couch?
Only Half of Graduating Seniors Have Definite Career Plans
RESTON, Va., May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- What is the biggest challenge for
college graduates who are faced with a shaky economy and news of more than
400,000 workers already laid off in 2001? Experts at CareerBuilder Inc. and
at CollegeClub.com, the number one online destination for college students and
a division of Student Advantage Inc., say the biggest hurdle is not job
availability -- though there is growing concern among students about job
availability -- but whether students have identified the career they want to
pursue.
"Last year's job market was a breeze for most college graduates," said
Diane Strahan, vice president of marketing at CareerBuilder. "There are
certainly a few more challenges today, but the best prepared of the Class of
2001 will likely land professional jobs this summer. Those who aren't
prepared can look forward to a permanent spot on the sofa at mom-and-dad's
house."
New college graduates can find the tools and expertise they need for their
job search at careerbuilder.com. A new special section on careerbuilder.com,
Learn to Earn: Master the Degree of Success, is aimed at helping graduates
grapple with important first-career decisions and strategies for success.
Career Uncertainty
As students get closer to graduation they actually grow less certain about
career aspirations, according to a recent CollegeClub.com poll of nearly 600
students. While roughly 60 percent of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors
"definitely" know which careers they'll pursue, only 51 percent of seniors
"definitely" know about career pursuits.
"Rather than being concerned about the shaky economy, a bigger concern for
college graduates is gaining confidence that career aspirations will jibe with
real-world experiences," agreed David Wogahn, General Manager at
CollegeClub.com. "Fears about the shaky economy are mixed, but fears about
shaky career aspirations are real."
Economic Impact
University students have mixed opinions about the new economy's impact on
job hunting. The CollegeClub.com poll found that 41 percent of students are
"more concerned" today than they were six months ago about their ability to
find a job after graduation. However, 11 percent are "less concerned" and 37
percent are "about the same."
"Sign-on bonuses, generous stock options and the above-market offers
enjoyed by 2000 graduates are all but gone," Strahan said. "However, this is
still a robust job market. In many ways, it's a more typical job market than
the one embraced by graduates last year. The more students research and
prepare for their job-searching strategies, the more they are comfortable with
the job picture."
About CareerBuilder, LLC
CareerBuilder Inc., the most powerful career network on the Web, is the
leading provider of targeted Web recruiting. Through the CareerBuilder
Network, employers can post jobs to pinpoint exactly the right candidates by
location, industry or diversity. Job seekers can instantly search more than
75 of the Internet's best career sites, in just a couple of clicks.
CareerBuilder also provides personalized career services and advice. The
CareerBuilder Network includes careerbuilder.com -- the flagship career center
-- and the career centers of premier destination sites including MSN,
Bloomberg.com, USA TODAY.com, iVillage.com and latimes.com, Philly.com,
chicagotribune.com and BayArea.com.
CollegeClub.com
CollegeClub.com, a division of Student Advantage, Inc., is a leading
integrated communications and media business that has created an online suite
of community services that resonates with the college student marketplace.
CareerBuilder Media Contact
For all media inquiries and interview requests, contact:
Jennifer Grasz
(P) 773-527-1164
(E) jennifer.grasz@careerbuilder.com
