Setting kids up for success post-college

[Anonymous]

The job market seems brutal, and I have a number of friends with kids who graduated over the past couple years and just can’t find good jobs. They went to good colleges but cannot seem to land a corporate job or a job in their chosen field that will lead to a career, so they have all moved back home and are either unemployed or doing random jobs until they can find something else.

When DH and I graduated from college in the late 90s all of our friends pretty much graduated with a job in finance, consulting, marketing, communications, etc. (or went to law school/grad school and started working after right away). Are those days just gone? Seems like even internships don’t always lead to jobs these days.

Curious if others are seeing this in their circles too and have any advice.

[Anonymous]

Yes, times have changed. Some industries and realms like consulting added a bunch of new employees to meet demand during Covid (many companies needed help adjusting) and the demand has dried up. These companies have no more space to hire. Just one example

[Anonymous]

I graduated in the early 90s when overall unemployment was probably close to 7%. It’s a much better market now. Late 90s was probably the best market since the 1950s, so I understand if someone graduating in 1998 or 1999 thinks todays market is challenging.

My kid works in AI, has a great job and companies constantly trying to poach him. His cohort is also doing well.

[Anonymous]

I only have some anecdotal data. Almost every young person I know, had a corporate job or acceptance to grad/professional school before they had their graduation ceremony, even ones who are good students but not necessarily high achievers or T20 grads.

[Anonymous]

Job market great in medicine

[Anonymous]

It’s definitely competitive. Internships are the key to landing a job offer senior year. Some kids will land internships on their own. But for many internships out there, getting one is about who you know and who can open doors for you. I helped my DC land his last two, no shame. BC although I helped to prioritize the resume, he had to go through rounds of interviews, pass the pre assessments, or do hirevue, video recordings, etc, then perform well in the internship over the summers to receive return offers. Which he did. Also, these were previous companies I’d worked for, I pinged people on linkedin and made a phone call, so it’s not like i had any say in who they ultimately chose for the internships. I know for a fact that my DC would not have landed these internships without a little help. So, my advice would be, be prepared to help your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Job market great in medicine

This is about to change big time.
Science will no longer be taught in Red states. Colleges and hospitals will close, many already have

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The job market seems brutal, and I have a number of friends with kids who graduated over the past couple years and just can’t find good jobs. They went to good colleges but cannot seem to land a corporate job or a job in their chosen field that will lead to a career, so they have all moved back home and are either unemployed or doing random jobs until they can find something else.

When DH and I graduated from college in the late 90s all of our friends pretty much graduated with a job in finance, consulting, marketing, communications, etc. (or went to law school/grad school and started working after right away). Are those days just gone? Seems like even internships don’t always lead to jobs these days.

Curious if others are seeing this in their circles too and have any advice.

Let me guess, they are white sons...
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2023-black-lives-matter-equal-opportunity-corporate-diversity/

[Anonymous]

Internships are the key.

[Anonymous]

My advice would be land the helicopter. They will be set up for success by managing their own affairs post college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My advice would be land the helicopter. They will be set up for success by managing their own affairs post college.

During college. Heck, even while applying for college.

If you want adults who do not WANT to live in your basement you need to back off.

[Anonymous]

I see lots of new post grads and the ones whose parents call get a huge mark against them.

Are you a MoC? Are you my boss?

No. Then I could care less.

Sorry, your precious child, who is so smart and went to all the right schools should be able to take initiative. I don’t mind a “do you mind talking to my sweet kid” especially when the parent isn’t in my field or I have something in common w the kid. But the initiative needs to be on the kid.

Make the intro and back off.

There is also no shortage of jobs. Go work at cvs or Starbucks or babysit and volunteer until you get the office job of your entry level dreams. The degree doesn’t entitle you to work.

And to the person thinking their perfect Biff can’t get work because he’s a white man, I run our DEI efforts and the last 3 new grads who came across my desk were all white boys. I helped all 3 of them and they are all working now. They weren’t jerks or expecting anything. They were smart, eager and took initiative.

[Anonymous]

What did they major in? Banks aren’t interested in history majors.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have seen in too. I think there are fewer general office / admin entry-level jobs for humanities majors so those are the young people I see having trouble getting not just their first job, but their first few jobs if they are in an industry that is cyclical or suffers from cutbacks.