The job market may be tight, but there are plenty of opportunities

It's a bright spring day at Assumption College and you, a graduating senior, could not be more thrilled. After all the hard work you've done over four years, you've finally made it. You walk onstage, shake a few hands and at last are holding that degree you've wanted for so long. Then a sudden moment of dread washes over you, and you break into a cold sweat. "What do I do now?"Many college students have had recurring nightmares like this, and it does not just start during one's senior year. Although many walk into their freshman and often sophomore year not knowing what they want to do in life, few, if any, plan on walking out as a senior with the same mindset. The real world can seem like a scary thing to a college student, especially now with the economy the way it is.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2009, 8.6 percent of people ages 16 to 24 with a Bachelor's degree or more were unemployed. This is less than half of those with only a high school diploma, whose unemployment rate is at 20.6 percent. Still, being unemployed is a daunting idea to the students who are graduating in a mere couple of months.

Co-Director of Career Services David Kowalczyk is well aware of this, as he assists students in thinking about their futures every day. Seeing about five to seven students a day, seven days a week, Kowalczyk tries to stay on top of the current economic trends and problems. He pointed out that in The World Almanac nationwide, there is expected to be an average of six people vying for every one job opening. "And that's flat-out terrifying," he said.

Lately Kowalczyk has seen a rise in students looking into graduate and professional schools. However, despite seeming like the best route, he urges students to also look into a job or something else for a backup plan. "In this type of economy the desire for grad school increases," he pointed out, and with an influx of even more prospective candidates it can become just as, if not more competitive than the job market.

Carly Clearwater is a senior at Assumption whose plan has changed many times over the past month alone. After starting to apply for graduate school programs around the state, Clearwater's mother pointed out a great opportunity for her near her own home. "I plan on going into a teaching program in my hometown and live at home until I'm ready to get a teaching job and an apartment," Clearwater said. When asked if the economy affected her decision at all, Clearwater said it did, and with her new plan she would be able to save money.

This option would likely be an appealing one to many students, although it may not apply to every field of study. For help with that, students can go to the Office of Career Services, located in the Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC). Early on, students are encouraged to seek advice at SDCC the for career counseling. First year students are required to attend a Career/Academic/Lifetime/Learning Skills (CALLS) meeting, in which they discuss what goals they have and are shown how to start a portfolio.

According to their pamphlet, the Office of Career Services believes that picking a career is "an on-going process," and encourages students to not just wait until their junior or senior year to start asking questions. Along with the CALLS appointments, Career Services also offers advice for career and major exploration, job search strategies, resume and cover letter writing, and much more. Since Career Counseling Services are included in tuition, students are urged to go for any questions they may have, provided they make an appointment. It's not surprising that, because they offer such an important service, often the counselors have multiple appointments back to back.

One path Kowalczyk highly reccommends all students look into is working for the federal government. Through sites such as USAJOBS.com and makingthedifference.org, students can look for jobs with the federal government in almost every discipline taught at Assumption College. He also points out that President Obama addressed the issue on January 27 of this year: "The federal government will hire more college grads this year then ever before." Although Kowalczyk believes this is one of the best paying opportunites available to graduates, he mentioned that out of around 2,000 students on campus only about 100 have come to him looking into these programs.

Another oft forgotten option for college graduates is the route of going into community service. As mentioned in a previous issue of Le Provocateur, Assumption graduates such as Caitlin Bevins and Katy Hartigan have taken this path and found it extremely rewarding. Current Assumption senior TJ Roffey is applying to service-teaching programs through different Catholic colleges and universities. With these programs he will work in a private Catholic high school for two years, after which he will receive a free Masters degree from the college he works for.

Although Roffey admitted that the economy did affect his decision, he said that he was interested in pursuing an opportunity in service after graduation before the economy was hurting. While the lack of available jobs to college graduates helped support his decision. "My choice was already made," said Roffey. Students who are interested in taking this route can get advice at the Reach Out Center. One resource Roffey found particularly helpful was one of the post-grad service fairs held on campus because it allowed him "to meet representatives from these programs."

While there is an abundance of people throughout the Assumption campus willing to provide guidance, sometimes help can be found by simply calling home. Clearwater, who is excited for her future plans, received the most help from her own family. "My mom has been the main person helping me because she knows me best, and she can understand where I'm coming from on pretty much any issue that arises."