Editorial: How Does the Job Market Look for Graduates?
Supposedly our college education has prepared us for our future, but now it’s about to be put to the test as the graduating class of 2023 enters the job market for their first post-college job searching.
Some of the more popular or well-known majors at the University of South Dakota include business, nursing and other healthcare professions, marketing and education.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment for healthcare occupations should grow 13% in the coming years, resulting in two million new jobs in the country. The business, financial and education occupations expect a 7% growth, with anywhere from 600,000-900,000 new jobs created for each section. These new jobs do not include openings made available from people leaving the fields for new opportunities or retirement.
What does this mean for the graduating class of 2023? Hopefully jobs, but projections of what is needed do not always result in more opportunities.
It’s going to be difficult. The labor market is tightening as some companies are looking for people with both experience and a degree.
Right now, the job search process is taking longer and longer. It is taking people anywhere from five-to-six months from application to hire. The interview process is going to be longer and more strenuous, most likely with more than one interview. This can lead to a lot of strain while trying to find a source of stable income. If you decide to enter the trucking industry, you may apply for trucking jobs as long as you have the required skills and permits. You may start by taking CDL lessons from sites like improvlearning.com.
The class of 2023 is going to be the first class to graduate that dealt with COVID-19 disruptions since freshman year, which generally led to fewer internships and more academic challenges than pre-COVID-19 graduates.
There is always going to be uncertainty about the labor market and unforeseen things that affect it, including aspects governed by employment law. The only guarantee for graduates is change. The biggest thing to understand is that how you prepare and present yourself to a potential employer is critical to the job search. Try to be prepared, if you are applying for jobs make sure to research the goals and objectives of a company. If you have any questions regarding employment laws, visit HKM.com.
