Recent UW-Madison graduate Marissa Arnold works as a public relations associate for a small firm in New York City, and like many other recent grads looking for work in a tough economy, she feels underwhelmed and disappointed by employment prospects.
Arnold said her job, which she found through a family friend and UW alumnus, is less glamorous than it seems. The position was initially created because the CEO sprained her wrist and needed someone to type for her. Her other duties include booking travel arrangements and bringing mail to the post office. She feels she is overqualified for the job.
""Since I was initially hired as a personal assistant for our CEO, I definitely felt like I did not need a college degree to book travel, fetch coffee and enter expense reports,"" Arnold said. ""I could be doing a lot more challenging things.""
Unfortunately, many of Arnold's peers are stuck in the same situation: entry-level jobs with little hope of promotion. Many graduates have been forced to take jobs that they feel they are overqualified for, if they are lucky enough to receive job offers at all.
Two weeks ago, the March unemployment rates for Wisconsin were announced at 9.4 percent, almost double that of a year ago. The national unemployment rate has reached 9 percent, the highest it has been since the early 1980s. Every state in the nation has experienced unemployment spikes over the last year.
These statistics are certainly concerning, especially for college graduates. Many seniors are uncertain about their futures, and recent grads are struggling to find quality jobs.
Jared Rosenbloom graduated from the UW School of Business in 2007 and currently works for an advertising firm in Chicago. He was one of 180 people hired out of an applicant pool of about 6,000. Some of his classmates have not been so lucky.
""I know two people still looking for a job, and I know several more people who have lost their jobs,"" Rosenbloom said. ""Some of them have found new jobs in different fields, and some of them are still looking. Many people are getting part-time jobs—restaurants, gyms, retail—to get by while they are looking for full-time jobs.""
Alex Sheridan, a 2008 graduate, returned home to work for his preparatory school in New York City. He works as a college counselor for high school juniors and seniors. According to Sheridan, part of his success in getting the job was the fact that he got started early.
Many of Sheridan's friends were not successful in getting a job after graduation, so they turned to graduate school. ""Some have realized that the phone isn't going to ring any time soon, and have decided to go back to school to pursue their Master's, hoping that the prospects for employment will be better once they've completed their degree.""
Laura Dresser, research director for the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, said the current labor market is the hardest to enter in ""at least a generation."" She said graduate school could be a good option for students.
""If you need to get a Master's degree, these are a good two years to have to spend in school,"" Dresser said.
Dresser advised students to ""[find] ways to make connections to the place you want to end up. Use school to make some of those connections with the world of work so you're not just landing in a labor market where you don't know what the jobs are like.""
Fortunately for UW students, there are many resources through the university that assist students in career building, networking and advice.
The UW Office of Corporate Relations serves as a tool for businesses to recruit UW students. They help companies find students and grads for internships and careers.
According to OCR marketing director Doug Bradley, job and internship offers have slowed down lately. However, he is cautiously optimistic that offers will pick up again.
""It appears right now that the health sciences opportunities are still there,"" Bradley said. ""Nursing degrees, any kind of professional medical certifications, those are still needed and there is an opportunity there.""
According to Bradley, the biotechnology and services sectors are strong in Wisconsin, and there is also some hope in the currently tight pharmaceuticals industry.
The Wisconsin Alumni Association is another on-campus resource that students can use in their career search. The WAA hosts job fairs and provides a platform for seniors and recent grads to communicate and network with alumni.
