New Graduates And The Job Market

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Those new graduates are celebrating the end of their studies and the beginning of their careers, but will they be able to put those degrees to work right away?

Even though the economy has made big gains since the Recession that started in 2008, the job market is still tough for many grads to break into.

For many, graduation marks the end of sleepless study nights and tests and the beginning of a new path into the real world.

Some graduates already know the path they’ll be taking, while others are still unsure.

Kristina Gaston is one of those unsure grads.

She’s having a tough time finding a job, although she’s been applying for several months.

“I took a professional seminar class and we were starting to fill out applications then.”

Gaston’s goal is to work for a PR firm, whether it be full-time or as an intern.

She believes graduating in December, rather than May, will give her a leg up on the job market.

“I guess that it’s giving me an opportunity to look for jobs and so I can start off next year and for the summer.”

On the other-hand, Chrstina Bradshaw thinks graduating in May makes it easier to find jobs.

“Because in May, you have an opportunity to get more internships and a better opportunity of getting jobs in May.”

But graduating in December, isn’t slowing Bradshaw down at all.

She’s putting her Bachelor’s of Science in Information Technology Services to use on Monday, at the Clay County Courthouse.

“I’ve been working at the courthouse for at least, about three years, and so now, they promoted me and so I got it.”

While some students are eager to kick off their new careers, others aren’t quite ready to put down the books.

Jeremy Laguins believes getting another degree will give him an edge when it comes to jumping in the competitive job hunt.

“I know that going to school, it will give me a better opportunity over, you know, everybody else that’s looking for a job and stuff, you know, putting on my application and resume that okay, I went to school and also went to school again, got another degree, and things like that, so, and I’m just trying to stay ahead of everyone else.”