<p>Hi, all. I'm only a freshman in college but I've been thinking about the future lately. Mostly wondering if I'll be able to get into my dream job/career. I've just been hearing conflicting reports about where our economy is going and what job prospects might be for future college grads. For instance, as of December the unemployment rate was around 7.8% from what I've read, which doesn't seem to bad it's at least progress. But then I'm hearing things like 1 in 2 college grads are jobless/unemployed (although this was around April 2012 but still). I was just hoping some knowledgeable posters on CC might be able to fill me in on what they think job prospects might be for future college grads and beyond. Perhaps I've been misinformed, but I'm just not sure what to believe. </p>
<p>thks</p>
<p>You can look at the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/internships-careers-employment/1121619-university-graduate-career-surveys.html</a> (Berkeley, Cal Poly SLO, and Virginia Tech have good detail), including going back to past years’ surveys to see how students did over various parts of the economic cycle (e.g. compare 2007 graduates to 2009 graduates). Of course, what the economy, and specific industries that might be hiring specifically students in your major, is doing when you graduate may not necessarily be the same as now.</p>
<p>It’s going to be completely field dependent. Some fields have plenty of jobs available, some have far fewer jobs than job seekers. In addition to that, unless you’re going to a major national brand name university, the local economy will be more important than the national economy as a whole.</p>
<p>Well, I was sure that the economy would recover by the time I graduate (2013) when the crash happened in 2008.</p>
<p>Turns out it is still absolutely abysmal, and this is for someone with an “employable” major. </p>
<p>If you want an education, go to college. If you want a job, go to trade school or the military.</p>
<p>I think it’ll get better by the time we graduate in 2016</p>
<p>Things are much worse than the reported stats. Did u know that for the economy to improve, the unemployment rate must go up? Did u know that jobless people who stop looking for work or who’s unemployment benefits run out are no longer counted as jobless, bringing the jobless rate down even though no job was found? These are two quirks of the jobless rate stat that most people don’t realize. When the situation improves, we may see the jobless rate spike to 9-10 percent.</p>
<p>But!!! U are not a statistic. </p>
<p>The key is to use that knowledge to your advantage. Plan your years in college so that no matter what the economy is, you will do ok. Right major, great grades, lots of experience thru internships and a network of contacts to call.</p>
<p>Most of your peers will be following sports, chasing the opposite sex, attending keg parties and getting low to mediocre grades.</p>
<p>I am all for fun but having it at the expense of your future is stupidity or ignorance.</p>
<p>IMO, coming from one of the hardest hit areas in the country, things have gotten considerably better in the last few years. Businesses are opening up, restaurants aren’t closing, etc. </p>
<p>Granted, I have only a small perspective as I really only know the lower Michigan area (including Detroit).</p>
<p>I’m choosing to go to grad school straight from undergrad, but I had more job offers than my friends who graduated 2-3 years ago with similar stats. And I’m in a so-called unemployable major <em>gag</em>.</p>
<p>^U bring up another thing about economic stats. They are aggregate numbers. I lived not far from a town in an economic depression in the booming 90s which is now booming in these tough economic times. A military base was downsized significantly but in the mid 2000s, two other bases were closed and their missions and people were consolidated at the previously downsized base. Nobody can base their lives on national stats.</p>
<p>Economics are local.</p>
<p>I live in DC, one of the areas supposedly largely spared by the recession. I say supposedly because the market still blows here.</p>