It’s Graduation Season. What’s the Job Outlook Like?

College graduation season is brimming with excitement, achievement and a sense of new beginnings. Graduation culminates in years of hard work, dedication and perseverance. It's a time to celebrate academic achievements, personal growth, and of course, looking to the future and landing a great job.

With that in mind, we wanted to provide an overview of the top trends happening in today’s job market. The job outlook for new college graduates can vary depending on factors such as their field of study, industry demand, economic conditions, and geographic location. However, there are some general trends to consider:

In-Demand Fields

Certain fields tend to have strong job prospects for new graduates. These include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, healthcare, information technology, finance and business management.

Skills-Based Hiring

Employers often prioritize candidates with relevant skills and experience in addition to their academic credentials. Graduates who have completed internships or gained practical experience through part-time jobs or extracurricular activities may have an advantage in the job market.

Adaptability and Resilience

In today's rapidly changing job market, adaptability and resilience are valuable qualities for new graduates. Flexibility in terms of job roles, willingness to learn new skills and the ability to adapt to evolving workplace dynamics can enhance job prospects.

That last trend warrants further exploration. 

According to a new report by SHRM.org, adaptability and willingness to learn are the top qualities organizations seek in job candidates. Nearly 70 percent of the HR professionals surveyed said emerging professionals commonly exhibit these traits.

The same report cites Reliability, Critical Thinking and Time Management as the areas that need the most strengthening for new graduates and emerging professionals. If you want to stand out in the job market, make sure to prepare for an interview with this in mind. Develop key talking points to weave into your interview answers that demonstrate you excel in these areas. Spend the time to research a potential employer before your interview. What is their mission? What are their values? Then, show how your experience in life, school or prior work aligns with those goals. Ask thoughtful questions. 

Low Unemployment Rates

The Bureau of Labor Statistic’s most recent data reports unemployment in the U.S. at just 3.9%. While this indicates a healthy job market for new graduates, LinkedIn recently shared some interesting trends related to increased competition and increased time to land a job. Here are the highlights from the article:

• Competition. In 2022, there was a job opening for every applicant, according to LinkedIn. Now, in 2024 there are 2 applicants for every job.
• The average time to land a job has increased to 6 months from 5.5 months in 2023.

LinkedIn also reports that three-quarters of employers view the overall job market as favorable for new graduates despite these trends. 

Taking the Guesswork out of Career Trends

At Herzing, we focus exclusively on educational programs and degrees that lead to careers in high-demand fields in Healthcare, Nursing, Business and IT. 

• We are early adopters of adaptive learning to meet students where they are.
• We focus on building stackable credentials that progress students from entry-level to advanced, or anywhere in between.
• And we utilize advanced and virtual simulation technology to deliver more prepared and confident healthcare workers.

For employers and students alike, this leads to lifelong learning programs that provide the skills needed to land that first job or advance learners within their existing careers. Focusing on this helps weather any job market, but as we welcome our 2024 graduates to the workforce, they happen to be enjoying both – skills and a strong employment outlook.