By ANTHONY BOTTAN
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 174 companies who participated in a March survey planned to hire 22 percent fewer graduates this year than they did in 2008. Nearly half of the companies said they were unsure about their plans to hire recent grads this fall, and about 20 percent did not plan to hire at all.
Nicole Ettlinger, a 22-year-old from East Rockaway who graduated from SUNY Albany in May with a degree in English and journalism, said she searched for a job in journalism for weeks, but couldn't find any full-time work. Ettlinger, who graduated summa cum laude with a 3.9 grade point average, interned at the New York Daily News during her junior year. But her professors told her there were no jobs in journalism, and suggested that she go to law school.
"I loved my journalism classes," said Ettlinger, who began college as a law major.
Though she admitted that she could have searched harder for a job, she didn't find anything that suited her interests. "I got desperate," she said. "I was looking at publishing jobs. I felt like I was at a standstill. I mean, I have the degree, but there wasn't anything available."
Eventually Ettlinger decided to take her professors' advice and apply to law school. She will start classes at the University of Buffalo School of Law in August.
According to an NACE study in May that surveyed 35,000 students from 840 colleges, only 20 percent of students who have applied for jobs have actually found one. In comparison, 26 percent of students who graduated in 2008 and applied for jobs had found work by the time they finished school.
Fred Burke, executive director of career services at Hofstra University, said there are jobs out there for graduates, but they need to start looking earlier and know how to market themselves to prospective employers. "Students need to take the time to figure out what they bring to the table," Burke said. "If they can't articulate that, they'll get overlooked right away."
Burke explained that recent graduates should realize that they probably won't get their dream job right out of school, but may have to take transitional work for a few years to build up experience. He added that students should make the most of their college career centers, and focus on such skills as resume building and interview techniques - even how to conduct themselves at a business lunch or dinner.
"The culture has changed," Burke said. "Students think they can talk to employers like they're on Facebook. You need to separate yourself from the pile. We're seeing results, but with those graduates that put forward the effort."
Nearly 70 percent of employers who took part in an NACE Job Outlook 2009 study in January said they screen candidates by grade point average. Among the qualities recruiters prize most, according to the study, are communication skills, a strong work ethic, the ability to work in a team and initiative. The study also noted that employers look for candidates who have held leadership positions and who have relevant work experience.
Deanna Vitola, a 2005 Lynbrook High School graduate who earned a degree in music education from Providence College, said she interned and was a student teacher in Rhode Island, but has yet to land a job in her field. She finished school with a 3.7 grade point average in her major, but was told by prospective employers that they were looking for a candidate with more experience.
"I'm certified to teach K through 12, so I thought I was really marketable, but it's been a struggle to find a job," Vitola said. "They want a candidate with a lot of experience, but how can I get experience if I just got out?"
Vitola, who has interviewed for nearly a dozen jobs, said that even though she hasn't received any offers, she has not grown discouraged. "It's good experience," she said of the interviews. "I'm going to keep trying to find employment opportunities. It's been a long search, but I'm moving forward."
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