There’s no doubt that college is a fantastic way to prepare for a future job. You learn how to work under pressure, are challenged to think critically and solve problems, and, if you take classes related to the type of work you end up pursuing, you can get plenty of field training before even signing your first W-2. But when it comes to actually landing those jobs? It kind of feels like colleges are taking a page from Taylor Swift’s book and telling students, “You’re on your own, kid.”
OK, I know that’s not completely true. Many schools offer resources like resume review services, interview prep workshops, and networks of well-connected alumni to help their students succeed in the job search. But many busy college students struggle with finding time to actually use these services… or, you know, finding them at all. (Case in point: I didn’t actually know where my university’s career center was located until the second semester of my senior year, oops.)
This is probably why, when Her Campus surveyed 562 Gen Zers about how they feel about job searching after college, more than half of them (56%) said they don’t feel like their school prepared them well for it. Those college-offered resources I mentioned before? Yeah, only 55% of students said they’ve utilized their school’s career center, 31% have gotten help preparing for interviews, and 11% sought guidance on their overall career plans.
Trust me, I know it’s not because college students don’t care about finding jobs. 83% of our survey respondents said they started their job search at least two months before graduation. (Nearly half of our participants even started before their final semester of college began.) Further, 89% held an internship during college (so proactive!), and yet less than half of those internships led to job opportunities.
Simply put, it’s hard out here for a new grad. (Just see our editor Bre McNamara’s story about almost losing $2,500 in a job scam for proof of that.) With the U.S. economy in turmoil and unease over the looming presence of AI in the workforce, many of our survey participants report feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and scared when it comes to the job search.
“I feel like it is very difficult to find a job within the market at this current moment,” an advertising major told us in the survey. “There are too many applicants compared to job postings.” A computer science major added, “Pressures are high.”
One of the biggest struggles students seem to be facing is the dreaded cover letter. Three out of 10 students said they’re unlikely to apply to a job that requires a cover letter — and look, I know cover letters can be daunting, but missing out on a job opportunity just to avoid writing one, in *this* economy? We can do better, babes! That’s why we tapped a recruitment expert to show us a simple formula for writing a killer cover letter in just 15 minutes.
As pay transparency becomes more and more normalized (thank goodness!), Gen Zers are also saying “hard pass” to job postings that don’t list their salaries. More than half of our survey respondents said they probably wouldn’t apply to a job if its salary isn’t listed — but is that really the right move, or are there tactful ways to get the info you need, without wasting your precious time? We asked a career expert for insight.
Of course, there are more ways to get the job than firing off applications into the Indeed abyss. For starters, there’s networking. 84% of our survey participants say networking is important for finding a job… but it can also be awkward and intimidating, which is why we asked a LinkedIn VP for advice on how to avoid the most common networking mistakes Gen Zers make. And for a boost of good news, six recent grads told us about the non-traditional ways they landed their jobs, providing a much-needed reminder that there’s no one “right way” to find your career path.
All our stories within the 2024 Her Campus Graduate Girlies’ Guide are here to inspire you, reassure you, and prepare you as you take this huge step forward in your career, and in your life.
Because actually, you’re not on your own, kid.