Robert graduated with a prestigious degree in 2012 but struggled to find a job due to the bleak job market. The document discusses several reasons why recent graduates have difficulty finding employment, including high student loan debt levels, lack of relevant job skills, and an unpromising economic environment. However, it provides some optimism for the future job market, citing surveys that employers expect to hire more graduates in 2014 and 2015 as the economy continues to recover.

1. 36 | Zealousness Magazine Fall 2015
“I have completed my graduation and
have been awarded with a prestigious
degree. Yay!!!!! This is the time for
celebration.” Overflowing with joy
and pride, 25 years old Robert, with
dream in his eyes, was excited being
tagged as “graduate” in 2012.
He believed, being an exemplary
among her peers, nothing would
stop him from working with big
companies, he dreamt for the last
10-12 years. But he didn’t know
that the bleak job market would not
let him to fulfill his long cherished
dreams. Like Robert, there are many
recent graduates, who wonder if a
college degree was worth all the
effort and expense. This happens
mostly when they start their careers
amid recession or after.
Reasons of not getting jobs for a
“graduate”
The first and most important is the
economic crisis and unpromising job
market. Across the country, about
two-thirds of all college students
graduate with student loans. Figures
released by the Federal Reserve of
New York showed that aggregate
student loans nationwide have
continued to rise. At the end of 2003,
American students and graduates
owed just $253 billion in aggregate
debt; by the end of 2013, American
students’ debt had ballooned to a
total of $1.08 trillion, an increase of
over 300%. In the past year alone,
aggregate student debt grew 10%.
According to Bloomberg News,
college tuition fees have increased
a whopping 1,120% since records
began in 1978, far outpacing the
rate of inflation. The number of
students who went into debt to get
a bachelor’s degree has risen from
45% in 1993 to 94% in 2012. A
52% percent of college graduates
strongly or somewhat agree student
loan debt is hindering their career
choices, which in turn, delaying
them in their career progression
and further employment. Around
68 percent of 2012 graduates left
school with more than just a diploma,
(even though they could be qualified
as “graduate” and have the requisite
skills for getting into good jobs)
because they can’t afford repaying
the rising educational debt.
According to the findings by Pew
Research Center, college majors
matter in making you professionally
successful. Depending on the subject
major the prospects of getting jobs
is higher. Some subjects would lead
you in landing better opportunities.
Other than college degree, one
should develop their “soft skills” (such
as communication, critical thinking,
creativity and collaboration) or
internships or volunteer in respective
field of work. Fetching great grades
A News To Rejoice:
“Unemployment” nightmare of the
graduates coming to an end”
By Nupur Srivastava, Ph.D
“UNEMPLOYMENT”
NIGHTMARE OF THE
GRADUATES COMING
TO AN END

2. Fall 2015 Zealousness Magazine | 37
in colleges is about acquiring
knowledge, but making use of the
knowledge in the dynamic work
place outshines you from the group.
A survey by the Workforce Solutions
GroupatSt.LouisCommunityCollege
found that new graduates are failing
to impress employers, not because
they lack the requisite qualifications
or training but because they don’t
have good enough interpersonal
skills to integrate effectively into
the office environment. Instead
of spending money and time after
degree programs, and college
tuition support, it’s time to invest in
occupational programs that result in
jobs.
We should reframe the approach
towards education: skill training, not
more degrees. The studies published
by Natasha Clark, reveals a
different approach towards getting
jobs during/after graduation, the
students are no longer concerned
about their grades, but are mainly
concentrating on developing their
skills according to the present job
market demands.
Hopelessness and fear of
unemployment among the
graduates
The bachelor’s degree seems to
be declining in value, especially
because of its commonality in the
face of an increasingly competitive
job market and a declining economic
environment. According to the
College Board, it takes the average
college student who began college
at age 18 until age 33 to repay
his or her bachelor’s degree debt.
Labor Department has reported
that college tuition and fees have
increased by 184 percent during
the past 20 years, while salaries
for college graduates have only
increased by nine percent during
that time. However, compared to
the earnings made by the students
with a high school diploma and
no degree in 2012, the four year
college degree students, aged 25
to 32, have made nearly $17,500
more than those with lower level or
no degree. A 2012 Johns Hopkins
survey of 450 recent graduates
found that only 50% were employed
full time, while 26% were working
part time, 6% were unemployed and
6% underemployed. A full 60% of
those who were working received an
hourly wage, averaging just $10.23
per hour. Although the unemployment
rate for those with a bachelor’s
degree or higher declined in 2013,
many recent college graduates are
still struggling to find their desired
jobs.
“Earningsandunemployementreates
by educational attainment” data on
education categories reflect only the
highest level of education attained.
They do not take into account
completion of training programs
in the form of apprenticeships and
other on-the-job training, which
may also influence earnings and
unemployment rates. . Considering
the latest employment report lists
about 10.5 million are officially
unemployed. Using U.S. Department
of Labor data, Center for College
Affordability (CCA) says the over-
educated workforce included more
than 323,000 waiters and waitresses
with university degrees, as well as
more than 115,000 janitors, more
than 83,000 bartenders and 80,000
truck drivers.
An optimistic outlook for
graduates in the near future
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben
Bernanke said after the Fed meeting
that “meaningful” progress in the jobs
market led to the Fed’s decision “I
think we have been aggressive to try
and keep the economy growing, and
we are seeing progress in the labor
market,” Bernanke said. Millions of
Americans have been out of work for
unusually long periods of time. Many
others have been forced to settle for
low-wage positions, including millions
of college graduates who aren’t

3. 38 | Zealousness Magazine Fall 2015
utilizing their skills and degrees.
The decision made is 2014 may be
the year the job market sees real
improvement. According to a new
survey from the National Association
of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
, college graduates this spring
(2014) should have an easier time
finding a job than last year’s class.
“It shows some employer optimism
in the job market,” said Dan
Black, president of NACE and the
Americas director of recruiting at
EY (formerly Ernst & Young). The
early outlook for the class of 2015
looks promising, according to the
survey. Approximately 43 percent
of employers say they expect to hire
more 2015 grads during their fall
2014 recruiting season than they
did in fall 2013. “Ninety-percent
of recruiting happens in the fall
season of a college student’s last
year,” explained NACE’s President.
“Graduates should really focus on
getting a job then.” The companies/
employers who participated in the
survey showed a great interest in
hiringthegraduateswhoareinvolved
more into business, accounting or
computer sciences disciplines.
Every simple thing in our world,
including “Education” has both pros
and cons with it completely depends
on your decision as how you make
your life lucrative. In the end I would
like to conclude with “It’s always
better to become a better you and
me today, than yesterday. Aspire
to develop and expand your skills
along with acquiring knowledge and
degree.” A powerful statement by
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
“The more you learn, the more you
earn—and the less likely you are to
be unemployed.”
References:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/
opinion/dana-summers/os-student-
loans-20120517,0,174931.photo
http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/is-a-
college-degree-still-worth-it
http://college-education.procon.org/#pro-
and-con-arguments
http://www.newyorkfed.org/research/
current_issues/ci20-1.pdf
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-
tank/2014/02/11/6-key-findings-about-
going-to-college/
http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/
NILF1111/#term a link for best college
majors for a breakthrough career
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/
article-2501702/The-REAL-reason-
new-college-grads-job-They-dont-good-
interpersonal-skills-say-bosses.html
Read the interviews, http://www.
theguardian.com/education/2014/feb/17/
first-class-degree-less-important-for-job.
For more information on training, see:
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_
education_summary.htm and http://www.
bls.gov/emp/ep_table_education_by_train.
html.
http://naceweb.com/about-us/press/new-
college-grad-hiring-increases.aspx
Every simple thing in our world, including “Education” has both
pros and cons with it