The job market looks promising for 2007 Mississippi State University graduates. The best advice on how to handle the job market increase is for students to get proactive about their futures, said Luther Epting, director of the campus Career Center.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reported that the number of college graduates expecting to be hired after graduation in 2007 is up 17 percent from 2006. MSU and the South should experience a 30 percent increase.
According to an annual report in 2006 from NACE, the number of college graduates who find jobs in their related fields is on a steady increase. NACE reports, in a poll from participants, that 87 percent of 2005-2006 graduates received more job offers than 2004-2005 graduates. Employers also recruit more graduates in May than December, Epting said.
This would make this year the strongest job market since 2000-2001, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The areas of greatest increase are the business, engineering, education and counseling fields.
“I have gotten more interviews by going to graduate school,” said Brian Havard, graduate student in business administration. “The good thing about employers increasing their hire rate is that it provides more opportunities and ideally allows graduates to be more selective.”
Employers will offer similar salary amounts for a bachelor’s degree with a greater amount of experience and a master’s degree with very little experience, Epting said.
Some reasons for the increase at Mississippi State University are a good economy, available jobs, quality of undergraduate and graduate programs and the increase of technology that students interact with, he said.
He said that the Career Center has been more active in attracting employers to MSU to meet with students at career fairs and interviews.
Another variable that contributes to the increase of job offers is co-operative experiences, Epting said.
The co-operative program allows students to gain hands-on experience in their field while still enrolled in school.
According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, the labor market has become very competitive.
Factors such as the retirement rate of baby boomers and the demand for workers on the Gulf Coast encourage employers to be more active and creative in recruiting.
The Internet also contributes to the market increase. Web sites such as monster.com, hotjobs.com, workinsports.com and careerbuilder.com list opportunities that allow the public access to jobs without leaving home.
“Enrollment [supply] is not really increasing, but the demand with a smaller supply increases salary wages,” Epting said.
One way students can become more informed is by becoming active in looking and applying for jobs and internships themselves.
Jourdan Steinberg, a graduate student in business administration, said one of the ways to set yourself apart from other prospective employees is to increase skill sets, join extracurricular activities and gain first-hand experiences with internships and co-ops.
“The market is pretty wide-open, but the opportunities are there. You just have to go out and find them,” said Matt Kendrick, senior Spanish major.
The MSU Career Center offers job fairs in many disciplines that can help students meet employers and recruiters.
The Career Center also provides an online database listing available internships, full-time positions, part-time positions and summer jobs.