College Grads Face Dismal Job Market

Dakota Digest - 05/17/2010

It's graduation season.   But this year college seniors are facing what's being called the worst labor market in at least a generation. The unemployment rate for those under 25 is double what it was before the recession. SDPB's Charles Michael Ray is following one recent college graduate who's getting used to rejection letters.

(click the play button on the right to hear the audio version of this story)

At the start of each shift Christopher Self turns the key on a semi truck.

"The usual start time is anywhere between about midnight and about 4am," says Self

Self has spent the last six years working ten to 15 hour days as a truck driver. But this is not his career choice.    

"It's a great fallback job if I ever need to you know jump back in a truck or something like that - but it's not my predominant job or my primary goal," says Self.  

But his fallback job is pretty important theses days.   Self recently completed a four year degree in business administration at National American University in Rapid City.   He's a 28 year old veteran.  Self worked his way through college with this truck driving job and with help from the military.  So with no student debt he is in a better condition than most graduates.  But Self is still struggling to find work in his new field.

"The military helped me out with this degree. So, essentially the money is coming from the taxpayers, and everything and I really don't want to let it go to waste," says Self. " I really want to be in the corporate setting," he adds.    

Self has another job besides truck driving, that's writing cover letters and sending out resumes.  Since graduating in March Self has applied for about 75 jobs - and he's had 75 rejections. 

"Have the degree, I've had one of my biggest initial goals, and I can't do anything with it yet because the opportunity I'm not sure if it's there.  So, yea I've finally reached the point where I'm really questioning," says Self.    

Self is doing his best to not let it get him down, but it's hard when the perfect opportunity passes him by.   

"There was one for a very large firm that would be for my ultimate dream job - I applied to it Thursday - Monday morning I already had the rejection letter and that one was the biggest crush," says Self.  

Peggy Schelechter's job is to help students like Self find work. 

"Usually a job search is demeaning anyway because you're going to face some rejection, and so it is hard to stay up and I think when you're looking at this economy and  thinking it might be longer before I find something boy that makes it tough," says  Schelechter.

Schelechter is a Dean at National American University.  She says it's imperative for graduates to keep a positive outlook in this job market.

"A lot of it is attitude too and going out there with that positive attitude that you will find a job and you're going to do everything it takes to find a job,  rather than thinking oh this job market is terrible," says  Schelechter.

But even the best attitudes can't change the realities of the unemployment rate.  There could however be a hidden benefit here for the state of South Dakota.  The state's unemployment rate has been around 4.8 percent that's less than half the national average.   Over the past several years South Dakota has put a great deal of effort to keep its best and brightest graduates here in state.  With more jobs available closer to home, the state could benefit.  Dr Jack Warner is the president of the South Dakota Board of Regents.

"As the sectors in South Dakota seem to be loosening up and hiring people and there's evidence that that's happening. We may be in a better and more competitive position for our graduates and we're certainly hopeful that we can keep as many as we can here in South Dakota," says Warner.

More openings in South Dakota may not be of interest to Christopher Self.  His degree has an emphasis on International Business.   But Self is growing less picky.

"Certainly, I'll take an entry level towards the career field I want to be in absolutely because that's how much I want to be in it.  I have a lot of work experience that can go along with it maybe accelerate within faster but yea I'll take an entry level," says Self.  

As of late Self's life has been playing out a bit like a bad country western song. After a string of rejection letters, his dog injured her back leg, then the engine blew up on his car.   But he's laughing it off, trying to find the humor in the situation.  He's not looking for handouts, he's resolved to do whatever it takes to land a job in this labor market.   

"And it's just a bigger hill to climb, not a victim, not sitting on my laurels just waiting for someone to find it for me," says Self.  

Self may need to keep this attitude for the long term. Economists say while the recession is turning around it could it could still take years for the labor market to recover.    With this in mind, recent college graduates might have to get used to that fallback job.

Get the Flash Player to see this video.