With unemployment reported at 8.6 percent in November of this year, freshly minted college graduates and seniors anticipating graduation are finding themselves victims of the stale economy. With graduation approaching, the stress of the job hunt sometimes overshadows the celebration of a new diploma.
Most college grads are searching for an entry-level position within their field of study but some do not succeed. According to an article published in The New York Times in May 2011, over 22 percent of college grads under the age of 25 were not working and 22 percent were working in jobs that do not require a college degree. Only 56 percent were working in jobs that did require a college degree.
The news only gets worse for humanities majors such as art, music and language. According to the article, over 29 percent of humanities grads were working in jobs that required no degree and 25 percent were not employed at all.
So why are so many seemingly qualified college graduates not finding employment in their field of choice?
“I think since so much of job hunting is sending resumes online and having the employers screen through them without even knowing the person makes it hard to obtain a job unless you know someone in the field or company you’re applying for,” said Caroline Coats, a graduating senior in human resources. “If you don’t know anyone in the business or get referred from someone else, then it’s almost