Graduates released in improved job market

Employers who have been surveyed have indicated that they will be hiring 10.2 percent more college graduates than in the year 2011, according to The National Association of Colleges and Employers. With graduation only weeks away, soon-to-be graduates have been facing the challenges of finding and securing a job after receiving their degree.

Employers are looking for college graduates that are team players and who have strong verbal communication skills, according to respondents to the NACE job outlook 2012 survey.

“What is so critical in the job search process is maintaining a polished and professional presence throughout the job search,” said UW-River Falls Career Services Director Melissa Wilson.

UWRF does not begin the majority of data collection for the post-graduate employment survey until about six months after commencement, according to Wilson.

“It takes time to collect the data. Therefore, data on the current graduating class would not be available for months after a student has graduated,” Wilson wrote in an email.

Graduating senior and marketing communications major, Morgan Czekalski has been searching for jobs since March and has not yet found a job in her field.

“I feel that some professors have given us a false sense of what we should be looking for fresh out of college,” Czekalski said.

Czekalski has been using the website Hire a Falcon in her search for a full-time position, as well as uploading her resume to the site for Career Services to pass on to various companies.

“Although it’s typical for college grads to have a large number of resumes out, I am still worried about not finding a job,” Czekalski said. “It seems as though every company wants experienced candidates, but nobody wants to give experience.”

Career Services does not directly place students in jobs, according to Wilson. They provide students and alumni with the tools and training necessary to be successful in the job search process.

“Daily throughout the year we meet with clients and provide feedback on their job application materials such as their resume and cover letter,” Wilson wrote in an email. “There are also other events geared to educating students gate the job search.”

Graduating senior Maranda Mahr was recently offered and accepted a position at the River Falls Chamber of Commerce as the Program and Event Coordinator.

“I was elated when I found out that the position was open. I had an understanding of the job when I had worked with them while coordinating Homecoming events,” Mahr wrote in an email. “Due to my involvement on campus with Falcon Programs and my internship abroad I had the skill set to qualify for the job.”

Mahr started looking for jobs this semester by networking with others while continually searching job sites.

“I learned a lot in class but it was my involvement outside the classroom that prepared me for my position,” Mahr said.

Knowing what you want in a position and continuing to look for jobs that excite you are important to finding a job in your desired field, said Mahr.

“Know yourself and your strengths and how you can use them in your career,” Mahr said. “It is easy to sell yourself in an interview when you have the skill set and passion for the position.”