For about one-fourth of the student population, this week marks an epic event: the last time you have to wake up at some ungodly hour to enroll in classes.
Finally, seniors are on their last quarter at UCLA. Time to take that last upper-division major requirement, pass a final unappealing General Education requirement, or power through Japanese 3. And in just a few short months, thousands upon thousands of students will leave the school, degrees in hand.
And the next day, they’ll be pounding the pavement, resume in hand, desperately trying to get one of the scant remaining entry-level jobs left out there.
As if we needed the reminder, news sources are reporting that this year proffers the perfect storm: the largest graduating class with the fewest available jobs. And we won’t just be competing with one another for a coveted spot paying above minimum wage. We’re applying for jobs along with seasoned professionals, booted from their careers and trying to pay off mortgages and other scary adult things that we all need to start worrying about.
Just a few short years ago, college graduates were on top of the world. One graduate student at the University of Calgary, Jia Zeng, noted how the Internet bubble provided ample job opportunities for just about everyone.
“In the dot-com era, everyone, even without a college degree, was given a job with a six-digit salary. That was insanity. You have to get down to the fundamental, practical side of the picture and don’t expect other people to come to you (with jobs),” Zeng said to the Calgary Herald.
One college student laid out the harsh truth about the upcoming job hunt.
“We just need to accept that finding a job will be a long and painful process,” Lilia Andonova said to The New York Times.
Now, the onus falls to universities to help their most recent alumni get a foothold in the working world. The New York Times reported that colleges are holding more workshops and seminars for students who are about to graduate. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that career development centers are under a lot of pressure from students struggling to find work. They said more than half of approximately 50 colleges in a recent survey reported an increase in traffic to their career centers. And not just from nervous seniors ““ recent alumni who have lost their jobs have also been coming in for resources and advice.
Luckily, UCLA students have the Career Center and BruinView available to help them with a number of job-related tasks, including making resumes, holding mock interviews and posting job listings. But current students need to realize finding a job will be a monumental task and need to get to work right this minute to make the most of the time they have between now and when they walk at graduation.
Basically, be afraid. Start scouring job Web sites and classified ads right this minute. Have a friend look at your resume, and then another friend, and then another person and another until it’s perfect. Hit up every relative you have and see if wherever they work is hiring ““ a good percentage of jobs are obtained through nepotism. Try and squeeze one more internship into spring quarter ““ your last chance to get unpaid experience while someone else is still footing the rent bill.
We’d love to have a nice sign-off, like “But above all, don’t stress! Your UCLA degree will always pull you through!” or “Jobs aren’t important! Take this time to volunteer!” But for many of us, not stressing and not working aren’t viable options for our immediate futures. Get your things in order and seek outside help. Finding a job this year is going to be tough work.