By Samantha Moll, News Staff

With the economy in a recession, hiring is stagnate, and many seniors said they are worried about their uncertain future.
While about one-third of employers polled in August by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) said they expected to trim their college hiring, the latest survey, conducted in October, shows that 52 percent said they plan to adjust graduate employment downward, according to a NACE press release.
Because the effects of the recession on college hiring lag behind the general economy, graduates are just now beginning to feel the effects of the slump, said Edwin Koc, director of Strategic and Foundation Research at NACE.
‘In recent years, the college labor market was a seller’s market and new grads were in high demand,’ Koc said. ‘But the recession has increased the unemployment rate and impacted hiring.’
In a good economy, the typical job search takes three to six months, depending on how early students start searching, and how much effort they put into it, said Maria Stein, director of career services at Northeastern. This year, the search is expected to take anywhere from three to nine months, Stein said.
‘There are jobs out there, but students need to be more proactive than in the past,’ Stein said. ‘Students need to be focused and persistent, and not get discouraged.’
Heather Colburn, a senior biology major, said she is starting to worry about finding a job. She is depending on being hired at her last co-op, but said it might not work out.
‘If I can’t find a job in Boston, I’ll move back home to western Massachusetts and look for jobs, but not many people are having luck there either,’ Colburn said.
Samantha Myers, a senior behavioral neuroscience major, said she is also worried about finding a job after graduation. She said she has not started her job search yet, but is determined to not have to move back home.
‘I’m worried because I don’t have money, and there’s so much uncertainty,’ Myers said.
Companies still hire Northeastern graduates, Stein said. Although the number of employers at this year’s Mega Career Fair was lower than last spring, it was higher compared to previous recession years, Stein said.
Because some industries are more stable than others, seniors may need to adjust their career plans to fit into the current economy, Koc said.
‘Graduates need to be flexible in their aspirations, because they may not be able to get the type of job that they anticipated,’ Koc said. ‘It’s better to be employed than not. Down the road, when the job market improves, graduates can switch jobs.’
Based on the stability of certain industries, Koc said the strongest degrees to graduate with are engineering, information technology and accounting. Business degrees are not as strong as in previous years.
‘Although there are no safe industries in this economy, some areas are more stable than others,’ Koc said. ‘Engineering, accounting, professional services, high-tech manufacturing and federal jobs have all withstood the slump.’
Financial services, retail, and construction are the least stable industries currently, Koc said.
In this tight job market, employers look for graduates with a direct connection to the job, and demonstrable communication skills, Koc said.
‘Employers are trying to hedge their bets but they still want to hire Northeastern graduates,’ Stein said. ‘Northeastern graduates are faring better than graduates from other schools because they have co-op experience.’
Seniors should take advantage of the resources at Northeastern and visit Career Services for help in their job searches, Stein said. Students can book an appointment with an advisor through myNEU, or go during walk-in hours.
After spring break, Career Services will host March Madness, Stein said. There will be programming for students every week in March, with sessions on networking, backup plans, graduate school, salary negotiations and more.