Job market improves for December grads

Searching for a job mid-year might seem difficult for December graduates, but career advisors say not to worry. \nArlene Hill, associate director of the arts and sciences placement office, said while the job market has been slow in the past, she is seeing a recovery.\n"(The market is) still fairly tight," she said, "but jobs are available in all industries."\nWhen it comes to finding a job in January as opposed to May, Hill said the biggest difference is that more firms recruit on campus in the spring because they anticipate more graduates. She added that jobs still are available in January.\n"I think that many big name companies and corporations look to May graduations to help fill the spots that they need filled, but smaller companies and private businesses need people all the time, so there are still jobs for January grads to find," impending December graduate Dana Smith said.\nSmith, who will continue working at her current job at a local law firm, said she is ready for her move into the "real world."\n"I got lucky finding a job when I did," Smith said. "Some people I know found jobs right away. Others, like a friend that I have that graduated in May of 2002, are still looking for a job."\nAccording to an article from The Chronicle of Higher Education, job prospects look better this year than they did last year. The article said students with business, physical science and hotel management degrees will have the easiest time finding work. Students with degrees in engineering or computer science will have harder times finding jobs as will students with master's or doctoral degrees.\nHill said networking and internship experience are necessary for finding jobs. It is important for students to have practice working in professional environments. Also, when looking for jobs, students should know where they want to be located or what field they want to enter.\n"Employers look for students who have developed skills and they want to know that students can work (with others)," she said.\nHill reminds graduates who cannot find jobs to look for internships. She said employers are still hiring interns because someday the economy will turn around and employers can then look at their interns when hiring in the future.\nShe wants graduates to remember that jobs right out of college are just beginnings.\n"If a student has difficulty (finding a job), remember that it's a starting point," she said. "People in their early to mid 20s change jobs every 18 months."\n-- Contact staff writer Stephanie Susman at ssusman@indiana.edu.