Finding Jobs in Crisis | By: Mike Knox

Written By: Mike Knox | Photos By: Ernest Docker | Designed By: Rachel Amann

From securing internships to building resumes, the future can seem uncertain for students in normal times. However, in 2020, planning for the future seems nearly impossible. COVID-19, leaves not only students with a sense of uncertainty, but also the rest of the world.

Terminated jobs have left millions without employment. For recent graduates, 2020 was supposed to be the year they began their careers; however, many have been faced with the adversity COVID-19 has so swiftly created.

Terry Johnson, Grand View class of 2020, said that COVID-19 has created many obstacles for young adults who have just completed their degrees.

“I never expected the job search out of college to be easy, but I also didn’t expect it to be this difficult,” Johnson said. “It is already a small percentage of jobs available for fresh graduates, and with the pandemic, it has basically made the availability of new jobs reduce.”

According to an article by Rakesh Kochnar of the Pew Research Center, unemployment numbers in the United States went from the lowest since World War II to the highest the country has ever seen. In February 2020, the U.S. totaled around 6 million unemployed Americans; however, after the coronavirus outbreak, over 14 million were left without jobs. These numbers have not been seen in the U.S. since the Great Recession from late 2007 to 2010, which left 10% of Americans without employment. During the recession, 5.3% of workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher were unemployed in comparison to the 7.2% rate that the pandemic has produced. COVID-19 has caused numbers to increase at a faster rate in a shorter time than the recession, but both have caused problems for students looking to expand on internships and further their careers.

Jake Vice and Holly Poort were both students at GV when the Great Recession started. Vice graduated in 2008, and Poort graduated in 2009. Vice, who earned a degree in biology, is now the owner of a multi-million-dollar construction company. Vice said he chose the path that fit him the best after college during a time when the economy was not strong for students looking to begin their careers.

“A lot of people in my major went on to further their educational programs after graduation,” Vice said. “I chose to do construction when I got done with school because it was something that I was already familiar with.”

Vice said he started doing construction work with his father at an early age. Then he worked for a small construction business before starting his own. Vice said he was comfortable with his decision at the time and encourages students today to do the same.

“At that time in 2008, I was not sure where I wanted to go with my degree in biology, but I did know I was a hard worker,” Vice said. “Choose the path that is best for you, and work hard. Being a hard worker during times where jobs are limited will benefit you in the professional world.”

Poort, on the other hand, said her job search after college took time but helped build her into the worker she is today.

“I graduated with a degree in graphic design,” Poort said. “I would have never imagined I would be in a hard hat and boots every day. I lost three jobs after graduating before finding my career.”

However, Poort looked at losing a job as a lesson. She said it taught her the importance of building relationships, networking and ultimately building a brand for yourself, while using the things she has learned along the way.

“During the recession, I took jobs I never would have imagined for myself during school, but those jobs taught me a lot (about) how to navigate the professional job market,” Poort said.

Poort said she would tell students today to not worry or stress about the future. The future is always uncertain and no path is straight.

“My path was not ideal,” Poort said. “I lost the job I completed an internship for due to the recession. But the connections I have made during my path have allowed more doors to open.”

Vice and Poort are two examples of what being resilient, even during an economic crisis, can do for a college student. Their stories can help alleviate the pressure some students are feeling in 2020. Even though COVID-19 hit the U.S. economy harder than the Great Recession, Vice and Poort have shown that building a career during these times is still possible.