Many recent college graduates are having a hard time finding a job

By Shannon Curley, 2009 LaSalle University graduate

For many of us who graduated college in May, it seems like the students heading back to classes across the country have no idea how lucky they have it. For us, The Class of 2009, those college years already feel like the good ol’ days. Since leaving campus, the real world has hit- and hit hard. It’s been three months since we officially began our job search, scouring job boards daily, sending out resumes en masse, and, in many cases, hearing nothing but a deafening silence in return.

Feeling a little desperate, some grads have begun to take some radical measures, from suing their alma mater to roaming the streets of Philadelphia handing out resumes. Even Hollywood has taken notice.

Ryden can't find a job, desperate she moves back home to live with her oddball family

Were these simply extreme cases and Hollywood dramatization, or is there something these? I went to my social networks to find out. I posed the question “Are there any recent grads out there who are having difficulty finding a job?” to a group of my Facebook Friends, contacts from other schools, on my Twitter page, and to a group called ‘09 Grads on the professional networking site LinkedIn.

Obviously not every 2009 graduate is still unemployed. Some have landed THE JOB, while others have settled in for now, with the understanding that this is only temporary until something else comes along.

Alexandra Khalife graduated from The George Washington University where she majored in Political Science with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies. She landed a job this past April that she likes. She’s  working for G.W.’s Medical School which offers benefits and covers grad school. Khalife said she kept and open mind and was willing to settle for less than the perfect job.

“Sometimes, you have to do what you need to do,” said Khalife. “My job now is just a stepping stone.”

The fact remains though, despite some graduates best efforts, the job search has been brutal thus far.

One case in particular stuck out. 34 year old Michael Naylor of Michigan graduated with a 4.0 G.P.A. and a Bachelor’s Degree in Network and Communication Management from Devry University while he worked full time and supported his family. He had been looking for an entry level position in the I.T.industry for at least two months before his graduation in June.

By his count, Naylor puts out between 3 and 10 resumes per day and has yet to even hear so much as a rejection from a prospective employer. Nothing. He has worked with three different career counselors to hone his resume and cover letters. He accepted that he may have to take a pay cut from his current position and states in his cover letters that he is willing, even eager, to relocate.

“It seems like with the economy, people who have experience are taking lower jobs and beating out new people who then can’t get experience. It’s very disheartening.”

Brianne Dempsey, a May 2009 graduate of La Salle University, responded to my Facebook message. Brianne was a dual major in English Writing and Communication Management and interned for Philadelphia Weekly. She’s looking for permanent and freelance writing jobs or an entry level publishing position. She put it this way: “It’s extremely difficult, much more than I expected…I haven’t received any replies. I wouldn’t mind getting a rejection even. Not knowing anything, being kept in the dark, is the worst.”

Her former roommate, Charlotte Cuss, another friend of mine, graduated with a B.A. in Psychology. She explained to me that despite having done an independent study with faculty supervision in her junior year, she went into the program knowing there would be limited opportunities for her until she completed higher degrees, which she plans to do. Still, she is frustrated.

“I heard from friends that the job search was difficult, but I thought quite naively that it would not happen to me too… I have basically been offered three different jobs and then they have been retracted when they find out that I do not have any experience. I wonder how I am supposed to get experience if no one will hire me without experience?”

Amanda who works at a seafood restaurant wants to work in TV news.

Another 2009 La Salle Communication grad, Amanda Brothman, responded that while she is searching for a job as either a reporter at a news station or at a PR agency, she is working at Red Lobster. She’s had internships at two TV stations, WPMT Fox 43 and WPVI-TV ABC 6 in Philadelphia. Right now, like Dempsey and Cuss, she is living with her parents.

“It’s been tough, mostly because I’m disappointed in myself. I didn’t really plan on moving back.”

Every day it seems the forecast is different and it’s hard to really know what any of it means for us. A few weeks ago, the cover of NEWSWEEK declared the recession to be over (sort of).

Then just last week, NEWSWEEK correspondent Dan Gross went on MSNBC and explained that it is very unlikely that the job market is going to bounce back in the near future.

With all of this in mind, many grads are left wondering: We did everything we were supposed to do. When are we going to get our shot?

Shannon Curley is a June 2009 graduate of La Salle University. She graduated with a double major in Political Science and Communication.  She is currently working as a legal assistant at a small general practice law firm while freelancing as much as possible and continuing to search for a position that is closer to where she intends to go with her career. She is a former intern for this website.