Don’t get too excited. The big news is that employers expect to hire 5.2% more new grads this year than in 2015, but that estimate is much lower than the 11% uptick in new grad hires predicted in the fall according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
The reality is that many jobs available to new grads will be low paying jobs. Just last week, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released a New York City study of millennials and job prospects. The average 23-year-old in New York City earned $23,543 in 2014 compared to $27,731 in 2000, adjusted for inflation.
Yes, salaries for millennials are heading the wrong way!
What’s a freshly minted BA to do?
In researching my new book, Graduate to a Great Career, successful job seekers beat the odds with these tactics:
- Networking into the hidden job market, not endlessly browsing online job boards.
- Following key executives and companies on social media
- Seeking out internships and certifications to showcase relevant skills
- Approaching the job hunt like an entrepreneur or marketer.
It’s not easy staying positive when you have a tough battle to get a return call, but put things in perspective. In my research, I found that most job seekers took ten to 15 tries before they got an interview and about the same number to get a job offer.
So, start piling on the rejections and you’ll get closer to your goal, a good job offer.