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Growing Dilemma
By Eldridge Bell
Madison, Wisconsin
The current economic status has proven to have far reaching effects on the American population. Graduating seniors’ nation wide are faced with the conundrum to enter a shrinking job market or stay in school to further education in the hopes to obtain a better job. Even with the recent election of president Obama there is a sentiment of realism about the economy’s future.
“The economy is in a downward spiral and I think it is going to take serious time for it to get better,” says University of Wisconsin journalism master’s student Nina Gehan on the economy.
In light of the economic situation the perception is that students are opting more and more to continue their education to make themselves more desirable to the job market.
“I mean that is why I went back to college, because the job market was so horrendous and I did not want to continue working at Starbucks. I feel many other students are doing the same, because just having a bachelor’s degree is not enough anymore. You at least have to have a master’s degree to have a good job now.”
Although this notion of continuing one’s education appears to be a “no brainer”, it is not an option for every college student. Graduating UW-senior Jake Tauber is of the mindset that students cannot delay their entrance to the job market forever and there are still numerous options available to graduating seniors despite the current perception of the market.
“I majored in Japanese and I would like to teach English in Japan, but if I don’t get that job, there other options available to me that I did not even realize. For instance, I saw a job listing looking for a translator to translate video games for the Wii and I know people are going to be playing the Wii for the next eight years, so that is always an option. Now, that is just my opinion right now, I could be in a very different situation if I get denied by the jobs I applied to.”
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) employers are expected to hire 1.3 percent more graduating seniors in 2009 in comparison to the 2008 class in poll issued in August. Though, the market might slightly be more amenable to seniors indicated by the poll there is still growing uncertainty about the job market. Some students are leaving nothing to chance and are applying to jobs and graduate schools. Maya Kamath, a senior majoring in management human resources and economics is entering the job industry and applying to law school, suggest that those who major in a particular field may have a better chance in the job market after graduation than others.
“It might be easier for a person to find a job after college, who majored in business, engineering and especially computer science, since we are in the digital age; there will always be a job for them.”
Though, it appears that students are relegated to a dichotomy that is either to stay in school or go into the job market, it is clear that it is not an easy decision either way for students. Many students do not have the money to support going back to school and others do not want to work fast-food jobs for five to six years to make ends meet until they find a job that suits their educational background. One thing is certain though, seniors will have to take careful time deliberating on what is the best option for his or herself.
Sources
Nina Gehan…ndgehan@wisc.edu
Jake Tauber…. Tauber@wisc.edu
Maya Kamath… Kamath@wisc.edu
http://jobsearchnews.com/entry-level-job-market-for-college-seniors-remains-flat/ for the figures on how much jobs expect to hire graduating seniors.