CA R E E R
FINDING MEANING Searching for Work
Nearly a decade after the worst recession (2007–2009) since the Great Depression (1929–1941), there are 6.7 million job openings in the U.S. The current unemployment rate is a seasonally adjusted 3.8 percent, the lowest since 2000. For workers with a bachelor’s degree or more, the rate is just 2.1 percent.* For the first time in at least 20 years, there are now more job openings than there are people looking for work. A Different Kind of Job Market Then why is it so hard to find a good job? Distribution. Unfortunately, those nearly 7 million jobs are not evenly distributed across the country. Metropolitan areas in all four corners of the U.S. have employment advantages, including higher pay scales, but with a higher cost of living. The good news is that salaries for graduates seeking first-time jobs rose 5.2 percent from 2017, according to ADP. Relocation. A growing percentage of the workforce is not open to geographic relocation, preferring to remain where they are. That decision limits job opportunities. Skills. Many of the openings require skill sets some have yet to acquire. That’s why there is a movement underway to join data science with traditional liberal arts curricula which, according to Burning Glass Analytics, qualifies those students for roughly 15 percent more jobs after college. Outsourcing. A larger percentage of the workforce is now hired through outsourcing. Traditional employers such as General Motors, IBM and Pratt & Whitney are giving way to outsourcing companies like Compass Group PLC and Accenture PLC. Five of the top 20 global employers in 2017 were “workforce solutions” companies.
Competition. As Geoff Colvin wrote in FORTUNE Magazine: “This may be a great environment in which to find a new job, but you’ll likely still face competition.” Taking the Road Less Traveled Whether you’re a first-time job seeker, an employee trying to move up in the organization or a person who is ready for a new career, how do you go about finding the right job? Enlist a credible third-party referral. The importance of someone speaking, making a call or writing on an applicant’s behalf cannot be overstated. Professor. Coach. Co-worker. Supervisor. Pastor. Community leader. Combine character with skills. Sixty percent of business people polled by Zogby say they have had more trouble finding job candidates with adequate character skills than with adequate technical skills. Good character and a collaborative spirit are two ways Christian college graduates are uniquely positioned to contribute to an organization’s success from day one. Rethink your time. Job seekers should consider increasing their networking and social media time, spending less time searching job boards. Let the right people know you are looking for work. With human resources departments understaffed and overworked, some recruiters spend an average of only 6.25 seconds before deciding if the candidate is a potential fit, according to job search site TheLadders.com. Encouragement Makes a Difference A 2017 Strada-Gallup study of 32,000 students from four-year institutions illustrated the importance of trustworthy college relationships. Students are significantly more confident about their preparation for the workforce when they interact often with faculty, staff and administrators about career options. *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Report, May 2018
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