By Hilaire Fong
Daily Bruin Contributor
While the job market is looking poor for 2002 college graduates,
only certain industries will be affected for a short period of
time, according to a report conducted by the Collegiate Employment
Research Institute.
The unemployment rate is rising and according to a recent survey
by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, there will
be 20 percent fewer college hires in 2002 than in 2001.
The decline in hiring stems from a combination of a
manufacturing slowdown, reduced consumer spending and the effects
of Sept. 11, said Philip D. Gardner, author of the report.
While the health care industry will be minimally affected, the
technology industry will be hit hardest, said Chris Thornberg, a
senior economist at The Anderson School at UCLA.
Computer science and engineering graduates will not receive as
many offers as in the past, and consulting companies are
dramatically scaling down their recruiting, according to the UCLA
Career Center.
Though graduates may not get their dream jobs, they should not
be concerned about finding employment, Thornberg said.
Students should explore the wide range of career opportunities
available instead of focusing on one particular industry, said
Joyce Haraughty, the UCLA Career Center employer and corporate
relations manager.
“They may be pleasantly surprised at finding challenging
and interesting opportunities they would not have looked at
otherwise,” Haraughty said.
Career Center employees, who say government and nonprofit
organizations, public accounting firms and financial service firms
are searching for employees, have seen an increase in small and
mid-size companies coming to campus this fall to recruit
students.
According to the center, 83 companies conducted more than 1,600
interviews on campus between Oct. 15 and Oct. 31. Many companies
have committed to conducting campus interviews during winter and
spring quarters, employees said.
While some attribute the poor job market partially to Sept. 11,
others say the attacks will only have a short-term effect.
“There is weak employment growth everywhere in the
economy,” Thornberg said. “Despite everything
you’ve heard, the Sept. 11 attacks have no long-term effects
on the economy. Companies do not lay off workers because of
short-term effects.”
But students will need to work harder to get job offers in
today’s competitive job market, Haraughty said. Students
should take advantage of career counseling and workshops, she
said.
Because of the competition, students should focus on details and
research before going into an interview, Haraughty said.
“A student who has taken the time to know things like the
company’s products and services, competition, financial
performance, history and expansion plans will have a definite
advantage over less-prepared candidates,” she said.
Net-working and making contacts will be more important now than
before, she said.
“Internships, community service and volunteerism and
involvement in student groups and associations will provide
experience that will score points with employers,” she
said.